Death Penalty Related Web Sites

The Death Penalty Information Center does not endorse any of the organizations listed below nor does it guarantee the accuracy of the information posted at these sites. Similarly, we do not claim that these organizations endorse DPIC.

• Government Resources
  • Federal
  • State
  • Legislative

• Research & Legal Resources

• Advocacy & Abolitionist Groups:
  • International/National
  • State
  • Religious

• Resources for Victims

• Inmate Correspondence Groups

• Other Sources

• Death Penalty Related Blogs

Government Resources

Federal

• • Bureau of Justice Statistics: Capital Punishment - criminal justice statistics, includes information on publications, press releases, and other BJS services
  • Department of Justice: Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics - data pertaining to all aspects of criminal justice in the United States
  • FBI's Uniform Crime Report (UCR) - provides criminal statistics nationally, as well as by region, state, and city.

• State
  Departments of Corrections, Prosecutor, and Public Defender Offices
  (sites often include history, list of death row inmates, case histories, and upcoming executions)
  • Alabama Department of Corrections
  • Alaska Department of Corrections
  • Arizona Department of Corrections
  • Arkansas Department of Corrections
  • California Department of Corrections
  • Colorado Department of Corrections
  • Connecticut Department of Corrections
  • Delaware Department of Corrections
  • Florida Department of Corrections
  • Florida's Capital Cases
  • Georgia Department of Corrections
  • Hawaii Department of Corrections
  • Idaho Department of Corrections
  • Illinois Department of Corrections
  • Indiana Public Defender Council
  • Clark County (Indiana) Prosecutor
  • Iowa Department of Corrections
  • Kansas Department of Corrections
  • Kentucky Department of Corrections
  • Louisiana Department of Corrections
  • Maine Department of Corrections
  • Maryland Department of Corrections
  • Massachusetts Department of Corrections
  • Michigan Department of Corrections
  • Minnesota Department of Corrections
  • Mississippi Department of Corrections
  • Missouri Department of Corrections
  • Montana Department of Corrections
  • Nebraska Department of Corrections
  • Nevada Department of Corrections
  • New Hampshire Department of Corrections
  • New Jersey Department of Corrections
  • New Mexico Department of Corrections
  • New York Department of Corrections
  • North Carolina Department of Corrections
  • North Dakota Department of Corrections
  • Ohio Department of Corrections
  • Oklahoma Department of Corrections
  • Oregon Department of Corrections
  • Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
  • Rhode Island Department of Corrections
  • South Carolina Department of Corrections
  • South Dakota Department of Corrections
  • Tennessee Department of Corrections
  • Texas Department of Criminal Justice
  • Utah Department of Corrections
  • Vermont Department of Corrections
  • Virginia Department of Corrections
  • Washington Department of Corrections
  • West Virginia Department of Corrections
  • Wisconsin Department of Corrections
  • Wyoming Department of Corrections
    

Legislative

• Sen. Leahy, Innocence Protection Act of 2001 www.thomas.loc.gov (search by bill number S486)

Research & Legal Sources

• ABA Death Penalty Representation Project - a Web site with a public page describing the Project's primary goal to recruit law firms to represent death sentenced prisoners; the site includes a password protected area limited to lawyers representing individuals facing the death penalty.
• ABA Death Penalty Moratorium Implementation Project. The Project will work toward achieving a national moratorium on executions until the death penalty process is reformed.
• Address of Death Row Units in the U.S.- addresses of death rows in the USA for both men and women
• American Society of Criminology - general collection of death penalty information, including government statistics, court decisions, and articles and writing on death penalty issues.
• Before the Needles - a Web site that has compiled Watt Espy's data on executions from 1608-1977 into a user-friendly format.
• Boalt Hall Death Penalty Clinic
• "Capital Punishment or Compassion: Executions in the State of New Mexico: The Death Penalty Since Territorial Days" - provides the names, crimes, and dates of execution for those executed in New Mexico.
• Center on Wrongful Convictions - dedicated to identifying and rectifying wrongful convictions and other serious miscarriages of justice. The Center investigates possible wrongful convictions and represent imprisoned clients with claims of actual innocence.
• Clark County Prosecutor's web site with links to over 1,000 death penalty related Web sites
• The Constitution Project's Death Penalty Initiative - a bipartisan committee of death penalty supporters and opponents who agree that the risk of wrongful executions in this country is unacceptably high
• Cornell Law School Death Penalty Project - links to state and federal statutes and cases.
• Court TV: The Death Penalty on Trial - history, statistics and articles about the death penalty.
• DePaul University College of Law: Center for Justice in Capital Cases - provides Defense Investigation Certificate, Student Training, Professional Seminars, Manuals and Model Pleadings
• Derechos - provides links to a variety of death penalty sites.
• The Electronic Policy Network - a consortium of top public policy organizations and advocacy groups that provides timely information and leading ideas about the policies and politics shaping the world.
• Equal Justice Initiative - Provides assistance for Alabama death row inmates in during the post-conviction appeals process.
• Fair Trial Initiative - confronts the crisis of incompetent counsel for indigent defendants facing the death penalty. Funds fellowships for recent law graduates to work with under funded trial counsel in capital cases, and provides internships for law students to do a variety of trial related capital work.
• Find Law.com
• Rick Halperin's Death Penalty News and Updates - death penalty statistics, news, updates, addresses of U.S. Governors
• Innocence Project Web Site - Comprehensive Web site of the Innocence Project at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. The site contains case profiles, other innocence projects, DNA legislation and news, and much more.
• Internship Opportunities in Capital Defense Offices - this site has law student internship opportunities (both summer 2008 and year-round) in offices around the country that are engaged in the defense of death row inmates or capitally-charged defendants.
• Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS) - death penalty section contains news of international developments
• The Justice Project -The Justice Project is committed to educating the American public about our deeply flawed capital justice system
• MacArthur Justice Center - A non-profit public interest law firm affiliated with the Northwestern University of Law. The center concentrates on cases that raise constitutional or significant issues in the field of criminal justice.
• 911 Justice - provides extensive information about the death penalty, death row, executions, execution facts and protocol.
• Southern Center for Human Rights - death penalty news, articles and reports, good source for prison reform resources, and legal/advocacy resources
• Stateline.org - includes databases of information on crime and prisons, capital punishment, and news for each state. Allows a comparison of between 2-4 states.
• Tennessee Capital Case Information - A Tennessee Supreme Court website for capital cases that have had at least one "serious" execution date set.
• Texas Defender Service- aims to help improve the quality of representation afforded to indigent Texans charged with a capital crime or under sentence of death.

Advocacy and Abolitionist Groups

• International/National Abolition UK - the only nationwide (UK) grassroots organization focused solely on the issue of death penalty abolition. They aim to strengthen the international dimension of the struggle against capital punishment.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) - a variety of articles and resources on the death penalty, includes state legislation updates.
• ACLU's Moratorium Campaign - Web-based campaign to build support for a national moratorium on executions and bring attention to death penalty issues.
• Amnesty International - tracks death penalty internationally, includes statistics and general information, country reports
• Australian Coalition Against the Death Penalty anti-death penalty organization in Australia that supports International abolition of the death penalty and is against the re-introduction of capital punishment in Australia
• Italian Section of Amnesty International - international death penalty documents, appeals and information
• Bruderhof Community - articles and essays on capital punishment, includes writings from death row prisoners
• Campaign to End the Death Penalty -a national abolitionist group, focusing on grassroots support and organization to end the death penalty
• Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
• Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty - organization promoting viable alternatives to the death penalty and hightened visibility for those who seek better public policy in response to violent crime.
• Death Watch International - Organization based in the UK exploring the issue of the death penalty on a global scale. Their comprehensive website contains stories, news and factual information on the status of the death penalty around the world.
• Sant'Egidio Community of Italy - an appeal for the moratorium of the death penalty all over the world by the year 2000, promoted by Sr. Helen Prejean and other organizations.
• Ensemble Contre La Peine de Mort - held two international conferences on worldwide abolition of the death penalty and publishes an electronic newsletter (in French).
• Equal Justice USA - focuses on human rights abuses in the U.S. legal system, contains death penalty updates and reports
• European Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty - news, interesting personal reports about and of Death Row inmates, information about pen friends and the aims of the ECADP.
• European Union in the United States - Site offering information on European Union policy and action on the death penalty.
• Friends Committee on National Legislation - a Quaker lobby in the public interest, seeks to follow the leadings of the Spirit as it speaks for itself and for like-minded Friends.
• The Innocence Project of The National Capital Region (ÒIPNCRÓ) - in Washington, D.C. at the Washington College of Law at American University.
• Keine Todesstrafe (No Death Penalty) - a weblog with information in German and English.
• Journey of Hope - led by murder victim family members that conducts public education speaking tours and addresses alternatives to the death penalty.
• Justice: Denied-The Magazine for the Wrongly Convicted- a monthly publication dealing with the death penalty, wrongful conviction and justice issues.
• The Moratorium Campaign - works towards obtaining a moratorium on the death penalty, educating the public, and collects signatures for a petition that will be delivered to the United States representatives to the United Nations on Human Rights Day.
• Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation -a national organization comprised of family members of murder victims and family members of those who have been executed. Advocates alternatives to the death penalty, crime prevention programs and supports programs to address the needs of victims of violence. See also:
  • Victim Offender Mediation Association
• Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights - is an organization with a national and international focus actively working to abolish the death penalty. MVFHR members are murder victims' family members and family members of the executed who are opposed to killing in all cases whether it be homicide, state killing, or extrajudicial killings and "disappearances."
• Prejean.org - The Official website of Sr. Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking.
• National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty - listings of abolitionist organizations (national, state, and local), legal resources, execution alerts, death penalty issues and statistics.
• Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty
• International Justice Project works towards the development, coordination and increased employment of international law and human rights standards as they pertain to capital punishment.
• Reprieve - provides effective legal representation and humanitarian assistance to impoverished people facing the death penalty at the hands of the state in the US and the Caribbean. Reprieve's Web site is an umbrella site that catalogues all death penalty resources on the internet.
• Students Against the Death Penalty - is a student-run organization that mobilizes youth through education and advocacy.
• 20 Minutes - in death row (ma vie dans le couloir de la mort)

• University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center -general information about the death penalty as well as specific information about Alaska. General information includes history and recent developments, link to Supreme Court cases, death row inmates and facilities, debate topics, specific issues and international topics.
• Arizona Death Penalty Forum - a collection of Arizona activists, educators, legal professionals, policy makers, civic/religious leaders, and concerned Arizonans whom are united in discourse and civic engagement pursuing the balancing of ethics with justice by calling for an immediate end to Capital Punishment in Arizona
• The Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty
• California People of Faith Working Against the Death Penalty
• Death Penalty Focus of California- covers death penalty issues, focuses on state of California
• Coloradans Against the Death Penalty
• Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty
• Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty
• Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty - works for restorative justice in the form of effective alternatives to the death penalty.
• Sensible Solutions for Florida
• Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty - covers death penalty news and information, focusing primarily on Georgia.
• Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty
• Abolition in Illinois Movement
• Indiana Coalition Acting to Suspend Executions
• Iowans Against the Death Penalty
• ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri
• Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty -promotes public education about capital punishment and disseminates information about the death penalty and the effects of executions.
• Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty - includes newsletters, links to other sites, and announcements about various events that Abolition 2000 is promoting
• Maryland Coalition Against State Executions -coalition of groups and individuals united to end the death penalty in Maryland through education, legislative action, and public demonstration.
• Equal Justice USA: Maryland - focuses on human rights abuses in the U.S. legal system, contains death penalty updates and reports
• Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty- death penalty news and information from Massachusetts.
• Minnesotans Against the Death Penalty
• Missouri Death Row a web page dealing with capital punishment and death row in Missouri
• Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty
• Montana Abolition Coalition
• Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty - information about specific death penalty cases in Nebraska, including a history of the death penalty in Nebraska and abolition art.
• Nevada Support: Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty- This nonprofit coalition and group, aims to provide support for death row inmates, family members and friends. The site provides updates on Nevada death penalty news, urgent actions, and prisoners' art work, writings, and articles.
• New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty - dedicated to winning public and political support for an immediate suspension of all executions in New Jersey for a minimum of two years.
• New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty - provides information, advocates public policy and mobilizes others who share these goals. The Coalition also works to educate New Mexico citizens, elected officials and community leaders about the death penalty.
• New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty
• Network for Justice - New York State organization founded by partners Equal Justice USA and the League of Women Voters
• North Carolina Coalition for a Moratorium
• Ohioans to Stop Executions- local information and statistics, with some specific cases.
• Ohio's Death Row - information and history about the death penatly in Ohio.
• Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty - contains local information, in addition to other death penalty resources
• Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty - information about the death penalty in Oregon.
• Death Watching - Death Penalty Research in Oregon
• Pennsylvanians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty
• ACLU of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia chapter. Provides information and a link to a listserve which provides state updates on death penalty and other issues.
• Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing
• Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
• Texas Defender Service- aims to help improve the quality of representation afforded to indigent Texans charged with a capital crime or under sentence of death.
• Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty - death penalty statistics and information, contains detailed information on Virginia's death row
• ACLU of Virginia
• Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - provides links to breaking news headlines about the death penalty.
• Washington Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty - death penalty information and updates nationally and in Washington
• No Death Penalty Wisconsin

• AmericanCatholic.org - includes a section which presents the death penalty from a catholic perspective.
• Catholics Against Capital Punishment -contains an explanation of the organization's background and goals, articles from the most recent issue of CACP News Notes, the text of the revised Latin edition of the Catechism regarding the death penalty, an updated bibliography of statements by U.S. Catholic Bishops on capital punishment, and links to other sites.
• Lamp of Hope Project - project started by Texas death row inmates aiming to educate the public about alternatives to the death penalty, and support the families of victims and of prisoners.
• Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty - organization of many faiths working to abolish the death penalty. Lists upcoming events and sources including a study packet to Dead Man Walking.
• PaxChristi USA - National Catholic movement for peace. Includes announcement of new national campaign against the death penalty.
• People of Faith Against the Death Penalty - religious representatives based in North Carolina working to abolish the death penalty.
• Prayer Vigil for Abolition of Death Penalty in the USA
• ReligionLink - A site that helps journalists develop and write informed stories about religion. (Link goes directly to death penalty).
• Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism - provides an issue and legislative analysis and defines the position of the Reform Jewish Movement
• Unitarian Universalists Against the Death Penalty - brief overview of the Unitarian Universalist position and upcoming events
• I Was In Prison - Ministry to death row inmates and their families from a faith perspective.
• Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty

Resources for Victims

• Murder Victims Families for Human Rights
• Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation 
• National Center for Victims of Crime - support hotline to speak with victim advocates, receive referrals to support services.
• National Organization for Victim Assistance - promotes victim rights and services through national advocacy, direct services to victims and assistance to professional collegues.
• Office for Domestic Preparedness - enhances the capacity of State and local jurisdictions to respond to and mitigate the consequences of incidents of domestic terrorism.
• Office for Victims of Crime - oversees diverse programs that benefit victims of crime.

Inmate Correspondence Groups

• Friends Beyond the Wall
• Human Writes - A non-profit organization which offers friendship and support to people on death row through letter-writing.
• Prisoner Life - National Resource to join U. S. inmates with pen pals.
• Voices from Inside - U.S. death row inmates searching for pen pals.
• ACM – Agir pour les Condamnés à Mort (To help the Sentenced to Death) - French site for correspondence with US inmates.
• Prisoner Solidarity - Serves as a catalyst for communication between prisoners and people on "the outside."
• Life Lines - A UK-based organization that facilitates correspondence with prisoners on death row in the U.S.

Other Sources

• Angolite - Angola's Prison Magazine, written by inmates
• Address of Death Row Units in the U.S. - addresses of death rows in the USA for both men and women.
  
• The Clemency Project seeks the release from prison of battered women who have killed or injured their abusers.
• Criminal Justice Policy Foundation - Provides information to the public about the issues in state and federal anti-crime proposals.
• The Free Will Project - A group encouraging people to add a clause to their last will and testament stating their opposition to capital punishment and their wish that, should they be murdered, their assailant not receive the death penalty.
• Inmate Art - site for the display and sale of art by death row inmates.
• Death Row Speaks - inmate advocacy group with a focus on the military and federal death penalties.
• Execution Chronicles- A site that explores various aspects of crime and punishment through the case of a hate crime which resulted in a death sentence.
  
• Texas Death Row By Alan Pogue, - a page of photographs and commentary from Texas' death row.

Death Penalty Blogs

• Intellectual Competence and the Death Penalty
• Terry Lenamon's Death Penalty Blog - From the law firm of Swartz and Lenamon, Florida based criminal defense lawyers.