United States
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 16
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 47
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The pace of USA executions is on the rise, pushed by...
- News items in the archive
- 1,549
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
United States is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 16 executions in the country, against 47 the year before. The archive holds 1,549 news items on United States, from 1999 to today.
In the United States the death penalty is a matter for the individual states as well as the federal government: some have abolished it, some retain it without applying it, and some carry out executions regularly. The prevailing method is lethal injection, and several states have reintroduced alternative methods.
Its death rows are among the most populated in the world and the wait often lasts decades. The debate concerns the availability of the drugs, wrongful convictions and the conditions of isolation. The archive follows executions, stays, commutations and court decisions, state by state.
Latest news
APRIL 7, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: STUDY ANALYZES CAUSES OF ‘ASTONISHING PLUNGE’ IN DEATH SENTENCES
Multiple factors have collectively led to an “astonishing plunge” in death sentences over the last twenty years, according to a new study, Lethal Rejection, published in the 2017/2018 Albany Law Review.
- MARCH 22, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - New Quinnipiac University National Poll on death penalty
USA - New Quinnipiac University National Poll on death penalty
- MARCH 22, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: AMERICAN VOTERS CHOOSE LIFE IN PRISON WITH NO CHANCE OF PAROLE
In a simple question, American voters support the death penalty 58 - 33 percent for persons convicted of murder, according to a Quinnipiac University National Poll released today.
- MARCH 21, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Attorney General tells prosecutors to seek death penalty in drug cases.
USA - Attorney General tells prosecutors to seek death penalty in drug cases.
MARCH 21, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: ATTORNEY GENERAL TELLS PROSECUTORS TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY IN DRUG CASES
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions instructed federal prosecutors on Wednesday to seek the death penalty in drug-related cases whenever it is legally permissible.
- MARCH 15, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: TWO EXECUTIONS IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA
Two prisoners were executed in the states of Alabama and Georgia, leading to 5 executions since the start of the year in the US and to 1,471 prisoners put to death since the US resumed executions in 1977.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Trump wants drug dealers to face death penalty.
USA - Trump wants drug dealers to face death penalty.
- FEBRUARY 16, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Lack of Death-Penalty Counsel Brings Guantánamo War Crimes Trial to a Halt.
USA - Lack of Death-Penalty Counsel Brings Guantánamo War Crimes Trial to a Halt.
- FEBRUARY 16, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan sentenced Al Qaeda operative Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun to life in prison.
USA - U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan sentenced Al Qaeda operative Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun to life in prison.
FEBRUARY 16, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: AL QAEDA OPERATIVE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan in New York City today sentenced Al Qaeda operative Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun, 47, to life in prison.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - At Guantanamo trial, Military judge wants civilian attorneys arrested for quitting al Nashiri’s case
USA - At Guantanamo trial, Military judge wants civilian attorneys arrested for quitting al Nashiri’s case
- FEBRUARY 10, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pentagon Fires Harvey Rishikof, War Court Official Who Was Attempting to Negotiate End to Guantánamo Death-Penalty Trial.
USA - Pentagon Fires Harvey Rishikof, War Court Official Who Was Attempting to Negotiate End to Guantánamo Death-Penalty Trial.
- FEBRUARY 5, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - American Bar Association Resolution: Ban Death Penalty for Offenders Age 21
USA - American Bar Association Resolution: Ban Death Penalty for Offenders Age 21
FEBRUARY 5, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYABA RESOLUTION: BAN DEATH PENALTY FOR OFFENDERS AGE 21 OR YOUNGER
The American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates voted overwhelmingly to adopt a resolution (Resolution 111) calling for an end to the death penalty for offenders who were 21 or younger at the time of the crime.
- JANUARY 29, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - There are 53,290 people serving LWOP sentences as of 2016.
USA - There are 53,290 people serving LWOP sentences as of 2016.
- JANUARY 29, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: 53,290 PEOPLE SERVING LWOP SENTENCES
According to a study by the Sentencing Project (Still Life: America’s Increasing Use of Life and Long-Term Sentences, May 03, 2017), there are 53,290 people serving LWOP sentences as of 2016.
- JANUARY 9, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Murder Victims’ Family Members Speak of Moving Forward Without the Death Penalty
USA - Murder Victims’ Family Members Speak of Moving Forward Without the Death Penalty Murder Victims’ Family Members Speak of Moving Forward Without the Death Penalty
JANUARY 9, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: MURDER VICTIMS’ FAMILY MEMBERS SPEAK OF MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT THE DEATH PENALTY
Two recent publications illustrate that a growing number of family members of murder victims are now advocating against capital punishment.
- JANUARY 1, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
To date, the death penalty no longer exists in 18 of the 50 U.S. States
To date, the death penalty no longer exists in 18 of the 50 U.S. States
- JANUARY 1, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pfizer Blocks the Use of Its Drugs in Executions.
USA - Pfizer Blocks the Use of Its Drugs in Executions.
- DECEMBER 20, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 39 (or maybe 43) new death sentences in 2017
USA - 39 (or maybe 43) new death sentences in 2017
- DECEMBER 14, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC 2017 Year End Report: Death Sentences, Executions At Near-Historic Lows.
USA - DPIC 2017 Year End Report: Death Sentences, Executions At Near-Historic Lows.
DECEMBER 14, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTYDPIC 2017 YEAR END REPORT: DEATH SENTENCES, EXECUTIONS AT NEAR-HISTORIC LOWS
Executions and new death sentences remained near historic lows in 2017, and public support for the death penalty polled at its lowest level in 45 years, according to DPIC's annual report, “The Death Penalty in 2017: Year End Report,” released December 14.
- DECEMBER 13, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Report: Deterrence is Based on Certainty of Apprehension, Not Severity of Punishment.
USA - Report: Deterrence is Based on Certainty of Apprehension, Not Severity of Punishment.
DECEMBER 13, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: REPORT, DETERRENCE IS BASED ON CERTAINTY OF APPREHENSION, NOT SEVERITY OF PUNISHMENT
The certainty of apprehension, not the severity of punishment, is more effective as a deterrent.
- DECEMBER 12, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Trump: Terrorism offenders deserve death penalty.
USA - Trump: Terrorism offenders deserve death penalty.
- DECEMBER 3, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - US executions reached 23 in 2017.
USA - US executions reached 23 in 2017.
DECEMBER 3, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTYUS EXECUTIONS INCREASE SLIGHTLY IN 2017
A court reprieve that halted the scheduled December lethal injection of a Texas prisoner means 2017 will end with 23 inmates executed in the U.S., a figure that although up slightly from the previous year is 1/2 of what it was a decade ago.
- NOVEMBER 28, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ahmed Abu Khattala, Benghazi 'on scene commander', found guilty on terrorism charges.
USA - Ahmed Abu Khattala, Benghazi 'on scene commander', found guilty on terrorism charges.
- OCTOBER 26, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gallup Poll: Support for Death Penalty in U.S. Falls to a 45-Year Low.
USA - Gallup Poll: Support for Death Penalty in U.S. Falls to a 45-Year Low.