NCJ Number
117221
Date Published
1988
Length
52 pages
Annotation
This study reports on the number of prisoners executed in the United States under the death penalty in 1987 and identifies recent judicial, legislative, and State actions to amend death penalty laws and procedures.
Abstract
At the end of 1987, 1,977 prisoners in the United States were under sentence of death. Of those 30 were juveniles at the time they committed the crimes of which they were convicted. The study reports that those convicted of murdering white victims were more likely to be sentenced to death than were those convicted of murdering non-white victims. Death penalty cases in which innocent parties executed are also reported. The status of legal representation for those who appeal death penalty convictions is detailed, as is new research pointing out that many U.S. prisoners under sentence of death may be mentally retarded or mentally ill. The study argues that no judicial system can prevent the death penalty from being arbitrarily or unfairly imposed. The study includes conclusions and recommendations as well as appendixes containing correspondence between Amnesty International and U.S. government officials on the issue of capital punishment.