DPIC GRAPHIC: Vast Majority of States Have Not Carried Out an Execution in Over Ten Years

The accompanying graph (click to view separately) displays the time in years since the last execution by each state as of May 1, 2023.

The death penalty in the U.S. is a distinctly minority phenomena, with thirty-six states plus the District of Columbia not carrying out an execution in over 10 years. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have abolished capital punishment, and additional jurisdictions, including the federal government, have a hold on executions. Last year there were 18 executions nationwide, carried out by six states, an 82% decline from the 98 executions carried out in 1999. The South, as a region, is responsible for 1,279 of the 1,568 executions (82%) in the U.S. since 1976.

Four states that retain the death penalty have not had an execution in more than 20 years (PA, OR, WY, and KS). Wyoming has not executed anyone in more than 30 years and Kansas has not executed an individual since 1965. Several states that no longer have the death penalty have not executed an individual since the 1800s, including Michigan — which carried out its last execution 193 years ago. On the other hand, four states (TX, FL, MO, OK) have carried out a total of 10 executions in 2023, with the most recent being in Florida.