State by State Data: Teacher Overview
This overview describes state by state death penalty information and comparisons, divided into three sections. “Jump to” links within each description jump directly to that part of this site, or you can return to this top menu.
Interactive US Maps
The interactive maps found on the website break down the statistical information by state with regard to ethnicity, gender, methods of execution, and legislative policies with regard to juveniles and the mentally retarded. They indicate those states that do not have the death penalty. Numbers of executions and death row inmate populations are also given in an interactive format. The maps provide a visual quick view of where and to what extent the death penalty is used in the US.
This section of the site is useful for general demographic comparisons, state by state comparisons, legislative comparisons, and the exploration of gender and ethnicity with regard to executed populations. The state by state statistical comparisons, described below, will give more detailed information with regard to the number of death row inmates and the total number of executions.
State by State Summaries
The state by state summaries lists all states which currently have the death penalty as a means of punishment, the year in which the death penalty was reenacted, the year of the first execution after reenactment, a history of the methods of execution, and the current method(s) now in use. In addition to this information, summaries of facts and recent developments regarding individual states are provided.
State by State Comparisons
This section of the site offers users the opportunity to compare statistical information on the total number of death row inmates and the total number of executions by state. As with the interactive maps, this section of the site is useful for demographic comparisons when used in conjunction with gross population numbers (taken from an atlas for example).