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
- OCTOBER 19, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The largest coalition of U.S. evangelicals has stepped away from its pro-death penalty stance
USA - The largest coalition of U.S. evangelicals has stepped away from its pro-death penalty stance
- OCTOBER 15, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gallup Poll: Support for Death Penalty Declines 2%
USA - Gallup Poll: Support for Death Penalty Declines 2%
- OCTOBER 5, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Supreme Court is starting a new term that will discuss also 3 death penalty cases.
USA - The Supreme Court is starting a new term that will discuss also 3 death penalty cases.
- OCTOBER 5, 2015VirginiaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Virginia. EU Sharply Critical Of Prieto Execution In Virginia.
USA - Virginia. EU Sharply Critical Of Prieto Execution In Virginia.
OCTOBER 5, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: SUPREME COURT IS STARTING A NEW TERM
The Supreme Court is starting a new term. The 9 justices are meeting in public Monday for the first hearing
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The United Nations Recommend End to Police Deadly Force, Racial Profiling and Death Penalty.
USA - The United Nations Recommend End to Police Deadly Force, Racial Profiling and Death Penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: TEXAS GIVES VIRGINIA LETHAL DRUG FOR EXECUTIONS
In a filing Thursday in Oklahoma, lawyers provided evidence that Texas sold pentobarbital to Virginia in
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - White House Won’t Weigh in Directly on Pope’s Call for End to Death Penalty.
USA - White House Won’t Weigh in Directly on Pope’s Call for End to Death Penalty.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: WHITE HOUSE WON’T WEIGH IN DIRECTLY ON POPE’S CALL FOR END TO DEATH PENALTY
After Pope Francis called for the “global abolition of the death penalty” in front of Congress Thursday, the
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A report from the Public Religion Research Institute interrogated American voters on death penalty and religious beliefs.
USA - A report from the Public Religion Research Institute interrogated American voters on death penalty and religious beliefs.
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Marshall Project launches a powerful new initiative, The Next to Die.
USA - The Marshall Project launches a powerful new initiative, The Next to Die.
- AUGUST 24, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - On September 27th, Pope Francis will visit the Curran-Fromhold Correction Facility in Philadelphia
USA - On September 27th, Pope Francis will visit the Curran-Fromhold Correction Facility in Philadelphia
- JULY 31, 2015ItalyDEATH PENALTY
USA - Italy. Italian anti-death penalty group names Pope Francis 'abolitionist of the year'
USA - Italy. Italian anti-death penalty group names Pope Francis 'abolitionist of the year'
JULY 31, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYO'MALLEY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLAN: ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY, RECLASSIFY MARIJUANA
Martin O'Malley unveiled his proposals for overhauling the nation's criminal justice system
- JULY 16, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - President Obama Visits Federal Prison, extending his campaign for reform in the criminal justice system.
USA - President Obama Visits Federal Prison, extending his campaign for reform in the criminal justice system.
- JULY 16, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: PRESIDENT OBAMA VISITS FEDERAL PRISON, EXTENDING HIS CAMPAIGN FOR REFORM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. HE IS THE FIRST SITTING PRESIDENT TO SEE THE INSIDE A FEDERAL PRISON FIRST HAND
The president visited the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in Oklahoma, a complex which includes sections of buildings separated by large green yards and barbed wire fences.
- JULY 8, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. George Ryan creates death penalty abolition group.
USA - Illinois. George Ryan creates death penalty abolition group.
- JULY 7, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 94.5% of Elected Prosecutors in Death Penalty States Are White.
USA - 94.5% of Elected Prosecutors in Death Penalty States Are White.
- JUNE 30, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 462 people shot dead by police this year.
USA - 462 people shot dead by police this year.
- JUNE 30, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Supreme Court may vote against death penalty in a near future
USA - Supreme Court may vote against death penalty in a near future
JUNE 30, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: 462 PEOPLE SHOT DEAD BY POLICE THIS YEAR
Nationwide, police have shot and killed 462 people in the first six months of 2015, according to Washington Post data.
- JUNE 29, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Supreme Court Narrowly Upholds Use of Lethal Injection Drug.
USA - Supreme Court Narrowly Upholds Use of Lethal Injection Drug.
- JUNE 24, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.S. District Judge George O'Toole formally sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death
USA - U.S. District Judge George O'Toole formally sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death
- JUNE 24, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: TSARNAEV FORMALLY SENTENCED TO 6 DEATH SENTENCES
U.S. District Judge George O'Toole formally sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to 6 death sentences for the April 15, 2013, bomb at the Boston Marathon.
JUNE 24, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. No death sentences in the last 6 months
USA - Texas. No death sentences in the last 6 months
- JUNE 17, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - "Death Row, USA Spring 2015" Illustrates Continuing Decline of Death Penalty.
USA - "Death Row, USA Spring 2015" Illustrates Continuing Decline of Death Penalty.
- JUNE 9, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Opposes Participation in Executions.
USA - American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Opposes Participation in Executions.
- JUNE 8, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 3 national polls on the death penalty have been recently published, and each gave different results
USA - 3 national polls on the death penalty have been recently published, and each gave different results
JUNE 8, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: DIFFERENT RESULTS IN 3 NATIONAL POLLS ON THE DEATH PENALTY
Three national polls on the death penalty have been published between 1 and 4 June 2015 and each gave
- JUNE 4, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Americans favour death over life without parole by 50% to 45%.
USA - Americans favour death over life without parole by 50% to 45%.