NCJ Number
181560
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: Fall 1999 Pages: 1-14
Date Published
1999
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This research profiles the 432 felons executed since the United States Supreme Court decision in Gregg v. Georgia in 1976 established certain procedural safeguards.
Abstract
These offenders were responsible for 585 homicides. All but one of the 432 death row inmates executed during 1977-97 were males, were convicted of murder and at least one aggravating circumstance, and had extensive criminal histories. In addition, most held low-prestige jobs prior to their last arrest, achieved less than a high school education, and had serious mental or emotional problems. Those under 30 years old committed 63 percent of the crimes; the gap between the age of arrest and the execution meant that 74 percent of the executions were of persons ages 30-49 years. Only a handful of these executions generated any publicity. Those who were executed were lower-class individuals unlikely to arouse any public sympathy. The analysis concludes that if the Supreme Court were to give serious consideration to economic discrimination and proportionality in capital punishment, it could create a ruling much like the 1972 Furman decision that caused the States to overhaul their guidelines on capital punishment. List of cases and 39 references (Author abstract modified)