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
- 1,550
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 1,550 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
- NOVEMBER 14, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - CNN: A comeback for the death penalty?
USA - CNN: A comeback for the death penalty?
NOVEMBER 14, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: A COMEBACK FOR THE DEATH PENALTY?
After years of declining use of the death penalty across the United States and declining public support for
- NOVEMBER 10, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pro-Death Penalty Referenda Prevail in 3 States; Kansas Retains 4 Justices Attacked for Death Penalty Decisions
USA - Pro-Death Penalty Referenda Prevail in 3 States; Kansas Retains 4 Justices Attacked for Death Penalty Decisions
NOVEMBER 10, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: PRO-DEATH PENALTY REFERENDA PREVAIL IN 3 STATES; KANSAS RETAINS 4 JUSTICES ATTACKED FOR DEATH PENALTY DECISIONS
Voters in three states approved pro-death penalty ballot questions on Novembre 8, while in a fourth, voters
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A result is not yet final, the two major referendum on the death penalty in Nebraska e California seem to have been negative
USA - A result is not yet final, the two major referendum on the death penalty in Nebraska e California seem to have been negative
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. At 1 p.m. Italian time, it is definitive the count on Referendum No. 426: Nebraska reintroduces the death penalty
USA - Nebraska. At 1 p.m. Italian time, it is definitive the count on Referendum No. 426: Nebraska reintroduces the death penalty
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. At 1 P.M. Italian time, after the counting of 86% of precincts, death penalty will not be abolished
USA - California. At 1 P.M. Italian time, after the counting of 86% of precincts, death penalty will not be abolished
- OCTOBER 27, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Studies: Death Penalty Adversely Affects Families of Victims and Defendants
USA - Studies: Death Penalty Adversely Affects Families of Victims and Defendants
OCTOBER 27, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: DEATH PENALTY ADVERSELY AFFECTS FAMILIES OF VICTIMS AND DEFENDANTS
The death penalty adversely affects both families of murder victims and families of the accused, according to two recent journal articles.
- OCTOBER 25, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gallup Poll: Support for Death Penalty at Lowest Level Since 1972
USA - Gallup Poll: Support for Death Penalty at Lowest Level Since 1972
- OCTOBER 24, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pew: U.S. executions near a 25-year low.
USA - Pew: U.S. executions near a 25-year low.
OCTOBER 24, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: U.S. EXECUTIONS NEAR A 25-YEAR LOW
The U.S. is on track for its fewest executions in a quarter century, Pew Research Center reported.
- OCTOBER 12, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Harvard University: A Handful of Counties Are Keeping the Death Penalty Alive
USA - Harvard University: A Handful of Counties Are Keeping the Death Penalty Alive
- OCTOBER 12, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: A HANDFUL OF COUNTIES ARE KEEPING THE DEATH PENALTY ALIVE
The death penalty, it seems, is slowly dying. Public support
- OCTOBER 6, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Obama reducing 102 inmates' sentences.
USA - Obama reducing 102 inmates' sentences.
- OCTOBER 5, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - "Death Row USA Summer 2016" Shows Ongoing Decline in Death Row Populations.
USA - "Death Row USA Summer 2016" Shows Ongoing Decline in Death Row Populations.
OCTOBER 5, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: SUMMER 2016 ‘DEATH ROW USA’ SHOWS ONGOING DECLINE IN DEATH ROW POPULATIONS
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund reports that America's death rows have continued to decline in size, with
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Public Support for the Death Penalty Drops Below 50% for First Time in 45 Years.
USA - Public Support for the Death Penalty Drops Below 50% for First Time in 45 Years.
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Here's what Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump think about the death penalty
USA - Here's what Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump think about the death penalty
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2016ColoradoDEATH PENALTY
USA - As of today, 4 states have gubernatorial moratoriums in place.
USA - As of today, 4 states have gubernatorial moratoriums in place.
- AUGUST 30, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - President Barack Obama today reduced the prison sentences of 111 Americans convicted of drug crimes
USA - President Barack Obama today reduced the prison sentences of 111 Americans convicted of drug crimes
- AUGUST 29, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - FBI Documents Show States' Claims of Threats to Execution Drug Suppliers Were Exaggerated
USA - FBI Documents Show States' Claims of Threats to Execution Drug Suppliers Were Exaggerated
- AUGUST 5, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. Judge Fasano resentenced Sedrick Cobb to two life terms without the possibility of release
USA - Connecticut. Judge Fasano resentenced Sedrick Cobb to two life terms without the possibility of release
- JULY 26, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Sept. 11 prosecutors ask judge to accept 2,976 death certificates as evidence.
USA - Sept. 11 prosecutors ask judge to accept 2,976 death certificates as evidence.
- JULY 26, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: SEPT. 11 PROSECUTORS ASK JUDGE TO ACCEPT 2,976 DEATH CERTIFICATES AS EVIDENCE
A war crimes prosecutor on Tuesday asked the judge to put 2,976 death certificates of the people killed on
- JULY 19, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ordered a new sentencing hearing for Andrew Paul Witt
USA - The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ordered a new sentencing hearing for Andrew Paul Witt
JULY 19, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: COURT OF APPEALS ORDERS NEW SENTENCING HEARING FOR ANDREW PAUL WITT
The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ordered a new sentencing hearing for Andrew Paul Witt. In the
- JULY 10, 2016CanadaDEATH PENALTY
CANADA - Poll: 58% of Canadians favor the death penalty.
CANADA - Poll: 58% of Canadians favor the death penalty.
- JULY 1, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A Mid-Year Review: Halfway Through 2016, Execution Pace Remains at Historic Low.
USA - A Mid-Year Review: Halfway Through 2016, Execution Pace Remains at Historic Low.
- JULY 1, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 14% of Death Row Inmates Are There Because of Just 5 Prosecutors
USA - 14% of Death Row Inmates Are There Because of Just 5 Prosecutors