Is the US Death Penalty Nearing The End

New Hampshire has become the latest state in the US to abolish the death penalty. This means that in 25 of the 50 US states, capital punishment is not currently being used. Many states have either ended capital punishment or imposed an official suspension / moratorium. 

 

Over the last 20 years, the number of executions carried out in the United States has decreased steadily year on year. In 1999, 98 death penalties were performed compared to only nine in 2019. IT has been suggested that due to the media and international criticism, Government opinion on capital punishment is slowly changing. 

 

"The politics of death has changed in recent years," said John Blume, director of the Cornell Death Penalty Project. "It's been a remarkable turn of events and you can see the finish line. It could end in my lifetime." 

 

This is further supported by the reduction in patrons for the death penalty. National opinion polls showed that just over 50% of the US population support the death penalty compared to 80% reported in the mid-1990s. 

 

A retired executioner Dan Vasquez is still a supporter of the death penalty but admits that the opinions about capital punishment has changed over the last 25 years. "Does it stop murders? No. Is it a deterrent? No," he said. "If the politicians get more votes by opposing it, then they're going to do that. Maybe it will be abolished."

 

Additionally, the US has been under international pressure to abolish the death penalty. The UK Government has been lobbying heavily on behalf of Linda Carty who is the only British citizen on death row in America.

 

Many politicians are aware of the shift in opinions, especially following the recent news from New Hampshire regarding their repeal on the death penalty. As the White House prepares for a new President in 2020, it seems that this will be a hot topic on the national political stage. 

 

Nottingham Crime Solicitors