On December 19, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released its annual statistical report on capital punishment in the United States, with information for 2013. It noted a continuing decline in the death row population and the number of executions. Highlights of the report include:

  • The death row population dropped to 2,979 inmates as of 12/31/13, with 60% held in just 5 states (California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Alabama).
  • 2013 was the 13th consecutive year in which the population of death row decreased.
  • Only 52.2% of death row inmates completed high school. 13.1% have less than an 8th grade education, and 24.8% have a 9th-11th grade education.
  • 14.4% of death row inmates are Hispanic.
  • The average time from sentencing to execution of those executed in 2013 was 186 months, or 15.5 years.
  • 16% of people sentenced to death since 1973 have been executed. 6% died by causes other than execution. 38% were removed from death row because a court overturned their conviction, sentence, or the capital statute under which they were sentenced. 4.6% had their sentences commuted.

For information about the death penalty in 2014, see DPIC’s Year End Report.

(Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Capital Punishment 2013 — Statistical Tables,” December 19, 2014.) See Studies and Death Row.

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