NCJ Number
67705
Date Published
1980
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A TOTAL OF 567 INDIVIDUALS WERE HELD UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH IN STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AT THE END OF 1979, 25 STATES IMPOSED THE DEATH PENALTY, AND 29 HELD 1 OR MORE PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW AT YEAREND.
Abstract
THREE WOMEN RECEIVED THE DEATH PENALTY DURING 1979 AND ONE WAS REMOVED FROM DEATH ROW, BRINGING TO SEVEN THE TOTAL UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH. ALL WERE HELD IN SOUTHERN STATES, TWO IN GEORGIA, AND ONE EACH IN ALAMBAMA, FLORIDA, NORTH CAROLINA, TEXAS, AND OKLAHOMA. SIX OF THE CONDEMNED WOMEN WERE WHITE AND ONE (IN GEORGIA) WAS BLACK. FLORIDA CONTINUED TO HOLD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PERSONS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH (138), FOLLOWED BY TEXAS (117). THESE 2 STATES COMBINED ACCOUNTED FOR 45 PERCENT OF ALL PRISONERS UNDER CAPITAL SENTENCE AT THE END OF 1979. IN ALL, 11 STATES HAD 10 OR MORE PERSONS ON DEATH ROW. THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE OCCURRED IN ILLINOIS WHERE THE COUNT WAS ALMOST FOUR TIMES LARGER THAN AT THE END OF 1978. ALL OF THE NATION'S MAJOR REGIONS SHARED IN THE INCREASE OF PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH. THERE WAS A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF PERSONS RELIEVED OF THE DEATH SENTENCE AS COMPARED WITH EARLIER YEARS, REFLECTING THE ABSENCE OF MAJOR JUDICIAL DECISIONS ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. FOOTNOTES ACCOMPANY A TABLE SHOWING THE MOVEMENT OF PRISONERS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH AND STATUS OF DEATH PENALTY STATUTES, BY REGION AND STATE. (AOP)