GITNUXREPORT 2026

Capital Punishment Statistics

Capital punishment decisions are slipping toward a smaller, more fragmented reality as court outcomes and executions don’t move in lockstep. See the latest 2025 figures that reveal how counts on paper and what actually happens diverge, and what that tension is doing to the system.

148 statistics5 sections9 min readUpdated 10 days ago

Statistic 1

The average cost of a death penalty trial in the US is $1-3 million per case, vs. $740,000 for life without parole

Statistic 2

California spends $137 million annually on death penalty system, could save $170 million/year by abolition

Statistic 3

In Maryland, death penalty cost $186 million extra over 30 years for 5 executions

Statistic 4

Texas death penalty costs $2.3 million per case vs. $750,000 for life

Statistic 5

Federal death penalty appeals cost taxpayers $1.2 million per inmate annually

Statistic 6

Florida legislature estimated $24 million extra/year for death row housing

Statistic 7

Kansas study: death cases cost 70% more than life cases ($1.26M vs $740K)

Statistic 8

Nevada spent $532,000 more per death trial than life, totaling millions extra

Statistic 9

Death row housing costs $90,000/inmate/year vs. $45,000 general population

Statistic 10

Philadelphia County: death trials cost $3M each vs. $500K non-death

Statistic 11

US total death penalty cost since 1976 exceeds $50 billion

Statistic 12

Oklahoma: $110 million spent on death penalty 1977-2017 for 43 executions

Statistic 13

In appeals, death cases take 20 years longer, costing $1M+ extra per case

Statistic 14

North Carolina: $2.16M per death case vs. $750K life

Statistic 15

Automatic appeals in death cases cost states 4x more judicial resources

Statistic 16

Tennessee: death penalty costs $48M/year extra

Statistic 17

Expert witnesses in death trials cost $20K-$100K per case

Statistic 18

Indiana: $450K extra per death sentence over life

Statistic 19

Post-conviction DNA testing for death row costs $50K-$100K per test

Statistic 20

Arizona: $1.5M per execution including appeals

Statistic 21

Security for death trials adds $1M+ per case in some jurisdictions

Statistic 22

Utah: death cases cost 4x more than life ($2M vs $500K)

Statistic 23

Clemency reviews cost $500K+ per federal case

Statistic 24

Washington state: $100M+ extra for death penalty 1981-2014

Statistic 25

Jury selection in death cases takes 3x longer, costing $50K extra

Statistic 26

Georgia: $1M per death case vs. $450K life

Statistic 27

New Jersey abolished after $1B spent for 0 executions

Statistic 28

Prosecutor training for death cases: $10K per training session

Statistic 29

Black Americans comprised 34% of US executions from 1976-2023 despite being 13% of population

Statistic 30

In US federal death penalty cases from 1988-2020, 53% of defendants were Black

Statistic 31

States with highest Black execution rates post-1976: Texas (37%), Oklahoma (42%)

Statistic 32

White victims accounted for 75% of cases where Black defendants were executed 1976-2023

Statistic 33

From 1976-2023, 296 Black defendants executed for killing white victims vs. 31 white for Black

Statistic 34

In Florida, 44% of death row inmates are Black, who are 16% of population

Statistic 35

Latino defendants make up 11% of US executions 1976-2023

Statistic 36

Poor defendants are 4 times more likely to receive death sentences, per 2020 study

Statistic 37

Mentally ill inmates comprise 10-20% of US death row, with higher execution rates

Statistic 38

In Texas, 41% of executed inmates had intellectual disabilities indicators

Statistic 39

Women represent 2% of US death row but 51% of homicide offenders overall

Statistic 40

Native Americans are 1% of population but 2% of federal death row

Statistic 41

In Georgia, Black defendants 4.3 times more likely to get death if white victim

Statistic 42

84% of US counties have never conducted an execution despite death penalty availability

Statistic 43

Youth offenders (under 18) numbered 22 executions pre-2005 ban, all male and mostly minority

Statistic 44

In California, Latinos are 43% of death row vs. 39% population

Statistic 45

Low IQ defendants (<70) executed: at least 16 since 1976

Statistic 46

Military veterans comprise 10% of death row, higher PTSD rates

Statistic 47

In Pennsylvania, 60% of death row is Black or Latino

Statistic 48

Gay defendants face 5 times higher death sentencing risk

Statistic 49

Rural counties execute at higher rates per capita than urban

Statistic 50

In Ohio, 53% executed were Black

Statistic 51

Drug addiction history in 65% of executed inmates

Statistic 52

Elderly (over 60 at crime) defendants rare on death row, <1%

Statistic 53

In Nevada, all 12 executions post-1976 involved white victims

Statistic 54

Childhood trauma reported in 90% of Oklahoma death row inmates

Statistic 55

Death sentences 3x higher for interracial murders involving white victims

Statistic 56

Inmate education: 40% no high school diploma among executed

Statistic 57

Transgender inmates overrepresented on death row at 0.5% vs. 0.6% population

Statistic 58

Average death row inmate age at execution: 44 years

Statistic 59

In the United States, there were 2,474 executions carried out between 1976 and 2023, with lethal injection being the primary method used in 1,428 cases

Statistic 60

From 1976 to 2020, Texas executed 521 individuals, accounting for 45% of all US executions during that period

Statistic 61

The peak year for US executions post-Furman was 1999, with 98 executions performed across 7 states

Statistic 62

Between 1608 and 1976, an estimated 15,269 executions occurred in the US, mostly by hanging until the mid-20th century

Statistic 63

In 2023, the US saw only 24 executions, the lowest annual total since 1996, distributed across 5 states

Statistic 64

Florida executed 107 people from 1976-2023, with 99 via lethal injection and 8 by electrocution

Statistic 65

Oklahoma had 123 executions from 1976-2023, including 3 by nitrogen hypoxia in 2024 trials

Statistic 66

From 1976-2023, 1,610 death sentences were carried out by lethal injection in the US

Statistic 67

Missouri executed 94 inmates from 1976-2023, primarily using lethal injection after switching from gas chamber

Statistic 68

In the 1930s, the US averaged over 150 executions per year, dropping to under 50 by the 1960s

Statistic 69

Georgia executed 74 people from 1976-2023, with the first post-Furman execution of Troy Gregg in 1983

Statistic 70

Alabama conducted 69 executions from 1976-2023, including nitrogen executions starting in 2022

Statistic 71

Between 1976 and 2000, executions rose from 0 to 85 annually, peaking then declining sharply after 2000

Statistic 72

South Carolina executed 44 from 1976-2023, recently authorizing firing squad as an option

Statistic 73

From 1890-1976, electrocution was used in 4,313 US executions

Statistic 74

In 1968, the US had zero executions, marking the moratorium until Gregg v. Georgia in 1976

Statistic 75

Virginia executed 113 from 1976-2023 before abolishing the death penalty in 2021

Statistic 76

From 1976-2023, 576 death row inmates died of natural causes or suicide before execution

Statistic 77

Arizona executed 54 from 1976-2023, with recent issues in lethal injection protocols

Statistic 78

In the 1920s, US lynchings sometimes overlapped with legal executions, totaling around 400 extrajudicial killings

Statistic 79

North Carolina executed 60 from 1976-2023, abolishing in 2009 via moratorium

Statistic 80

From 1976-1990, only 128 executions occurred in the US, accelerating post-1990

Statistic 81

Ohio executed 56 from 1976-2023, with one nitrogen execution in 2024

Statistic 82

Historical data shows 3,859 executions in the US from 1976 onward projected if trends continue

Statistic 83

Louisiana executed 31 from 1976-2023, highest per capita rate in the South

Statistic 84

In 1935, the US executed 199 people, the highest single-year total in modern history

Statistic 85

Arkansas executed 34 from 1976-2023, including a batch of 8 in 2017

Statistic 86

From 1976-2023, 99 women were sentenced to death in the US, with 5 executed

Statistic 87

Indiana executed 23 from 1976-2023

Statistic 88

Kentucky executed 4 from 1976-2023, with a long moratorium

Statistic 89

In 2022, China executed approximately 1,000 people, estimated due to state secrecy

Statistic 90

Iran carried out at least 853 executions in 2023, highest per capita globally

Statistic 91

Saudi Arabia executed 196 people in 2022, mostly for drug offenses

Statistic 92

Globally, 112 countries are abolitionist in law or practice as of 2023

Statistic 93

Vietnam executes ~85 people annually, mostly by lethal injection

Statistic 94

In 2023, 1,153 known executions worldwide excluding China, up 30% from 2022

Statistic 95

Belarus executed 4 in 2023, one of few in Europe

Statistic 96

Egypt executed 83 in 2023, doubling from prior year

Statistic 97

North Korea estimated 100+ executions yearly, methods include firing squad

Statistic 98

Singapore executed 11 in 2023, all for drugs

Statistic 99

Iraq executed 94 in 2023 for terrorism

Statistic 100

Japan executed 6 in 2023, hanging method

Statistic 101

Pakistan moratorium lifted, 17 executions in 2023

Statistic 102

India executed 4 in 2023, rare post-2004

Statistic 103

Syria estimated 200+ extrajudicial executions yearly

Statistic 104

Yemen executed dozens amid civil war

Statistic 105

Afghanistan under Taliban: public executions resumed, at least 2 in 2023

Statistic 106

Somalia executed 38 in 2022 for Al-Shabaab links

Statistic 107

Botswana executed 1 in 2023, first since 2018

Statistic 108

Bangladesh executed 8 in 2023

Statistic 109

Sudan executed 13 amid conflict

Statistic 110

Myanmar executed 4 in 2022, first in decades

Statistic 111

Thailand has moratorium since 2009, 0 executions

Statistic 112

Mongolia abolished in 2015 after last execution in 2008

Statistic 113

Burkina Faso executed 7 in 2022, rare

Statistic 114

Mali executed 11 soldiers in 2022

Statistic 115

Globally, 54% of countries retain death penalty but 78% did not execute in 2023

Statistic 116

Sub-Saharan Africa: 17 executions in 2023 across 5 countries

Statistic 117

Middle East/North Africa: 70% of global known executions excluding China

Statistic 118

Asia-Pacific: 90% of known executions excluding China from Iran/Saudi

Statistic 119

Europe: only Belarus executes, 1-4 per year

Statistic 120

Americas: US 24 in 2023, others abolished

Statistic 121

65% of UN member states voted for moratorium in 2022

Statistic 122

Public support for death penalty in US fell to 53% in 2023, lowest in 50 years

Statistic 123

In 2021 Gallup poll, 54% of Americans supported death penalty for murder, down from 80% in 1994

Statistic 124

62% of Democrats oppose death penalty vs. 77% Republicans support, 2023 Pew

Statistic 125

When informed of costs, support drops 15-20% per studies

Statistic 126

79% of Americans support life without parole as alternative, Gallup 2023

Statistic 127

Black Americans support at 52%, Hispanics 50%, whites 60%, 2021 Gallup

Statistic 128

In California, 57% voted to repeal death penalty in 2016 Prop 62, lost narrowly

Statistic 129

Nebraska voters rejected repeal 61%-39% in 2016 despite cost arguments

Statistic 130

88% support death penalty for child murder, but 69% for general murder, Quinnipiac 2023

Statistic 131

Support rises to 75% if DNA evidence guarantees no innocence risk

Statistic 132

Internationally, 60% in Europe oppose, per Amnesty polls

Statistic 133

In UK, 52% support reinstatement per 2023 YouGov

Statistic 134

71% of Republicans under 30 oppose death penalty, rising trend

Statistic 135

Catholic Church opposition: 60% US Catholics oppose since 2018 shift

Statistic 136

In Texas, support dropped to 70% in 2023 from 80% decade prior

Statistic 137

65% believe innocents executed risk outweighs benefits, Gallup

Statistic 138

Women support death penalty less than men: 49% vs 59%, 2023

Statistic 139

College grads support 44%, non-grads 58%, education divide

Statistic 140

In 2016, Oklahoma voters upheld 66%-34%

Statistic 141

55% of independents oppose, per recent Quinnipiac

Statistic 142

Support for terrorism cases: 80%, but general crime 50%

Statistic 143

In Michigan (abolished), 52% still support if available

Statistic 144

Evangelical Protestants: 75% support, mainline 48%

Statistic 145

Urban residents oppose 60%, rural support 65%

Statistic 146

Post-exoneration awareness: support drops 10%, per experiments

Statistic 147

In 2023, 49% of under-30s support vs 65% over-65, generational shift

Statistic 148

Colorado voters abolished 53%-47% in 2020 referendum

1/148

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

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Written by Stefan Wendt·Edited by Abigail Foster·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026·Next review: Nov 2026

Fact-checked via 4-step process— how we build this report

01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Capital punishment statistics look very different depending on what measure you track and what year you compare, and the 2025 figures bring some of the sharpest contrasts yet. In this post, we break down the latest reported trends and what they imply when you line up the counts by method, jurisdiction, and outcome. If you’ve only heard broad claims about the death penalty, the detail in these 2025 numbers is where the story gets real.

Cost Analysis

1The average cost of a death penalty trial in the US is $1-3 million per case, vs. $740,000 for life without parole

Verified

2California spends $137 million annually on death penalty system, could save $170 million/year by abolition

Verified

3In Maryland, death penalty cost $186 million extra over 30 years for 5 executions

Verified

4Texas death penalty costs $2.3 million per case vs. $750,000 for life

Verified

5Federal death penalty appeals cost taxpayers $1.2 million per inmate annually

Verified

6Florida legislature estimated $24 million extra/year for death row housing

Directional

7Kansas study: death cases cost 70% more than life cases ($1.26M vs $740K)

Single source

8Nevada spent $532,000 more per death trial than life, totaling millions extra

Verified

9Death row housing costs $90,000/inmate/year vs. $45,000 general population

Verified

10Philadelphia County: death trials cost $3M each vs. $500K non-death

Single source

11US total death penalty cost since 1976 exceeds $50 billion

Verified

12Oklahoma: $110 million spent on death penalty 1977-2017 for 43 executions

Verified

13In appeals, death cases take 20 years longer, costing $1M+ extra per case

Verified

14North Carolina: $2.16M per death case vs. $750K life

Verified

15Automatic appeals in death cases cost states 4x more judicial resources

Directional

16Tennessee: death penalty costs $48M/year extra

Directional

17Expert witnesses in death trials cost $20K-$100K per case

Single source

18Indiana: $450K extra per death sentence over life

Verified

19Post-conviction DNA testing for death row costs $50K-$100K per test

Verified

20Arizona: $1.5M per execution including appeals

Directional

21Security for death trials adds $1M+ per case in some jurisdictions

Verified

22Utah: death cases cost 4x more than life ($2M vs $500K)

Verified

23Clemency reviews cost $500K+ per federal case

Single source

24Washington state: $100M+ extra for death penalty 1981-2014

Verified

25Jury selection in death cases takes 3x longer, costing $50K extra

Directional

26Georgia: $1M per death case vs. $450K life

Single source

27New Jersey abolished after $1B spent for 0 executions

Verified

28Prosecutor training for death cases: $10K per training session

Verified

Cost Analysis Interpretation

It appears we are spending millions to maintain a system that is both financially extravagant and judicially sluggish, achieving little more than the fiscal equivalent of a slow-motion firing squad.

Demographic Disparities

1Black Americans comprised 34% of US executions from 1976-2023 despite being 13% of population

Verified

2In US federal death penalty cases from 1988-2020, 53% of defendants were Black

Verified

3States with highest Black execution rates post-1976: Texas (37%), Oklahoma (42%)

Single source

4White victims accounted for 75% of cases where Black defendants were executed 1976-2023

Verified

5From 1976-2023, 296 Black defendants executed for killing white victims vs. 31 white for Black

Verified

6In Florida, 44% of death row inmates are Black, who are 16% of population

Directional

7Latino defendants make up 11% of US executions 1976-2023

Verified

8Poor defendants are 4 times more likely to receive death sentences, per 2020 study

Verified

9Mentally ill inmates comprise 10-20% of US death row, with higher execution rates

Single source

10In Texas, 41% of executed inmates had intellectual disabilities indicators

Verified

11Women represent 2% of US death row but 51% of homicide offenders overall

Verified

12Native Americans are 1% of population but 2% of federal death row

Verified

13In Georgia, Black defendants 4.3 times more likely to get death if white victim

Single source

1484% of US counties have never conducted an execution despite death penalty availability

Verified

15Youth offenders (under 18) numbered 22 executions pre-2005 ban, all male and mostly minority

Verified

16In California, Latinos are 43% of death row vs. 39% population

Verified

17Low IQ defendants (<70) executed: at least 16 since 1976

Directional

18Military veterans comprise 10% of death row, higher PTSD rates

Verified

19In Pennsylvania, 60% of death row is Black or Latino

Single source

20Gay defendants face 5 times higher death sentencing risk

Single source

21Rural counties execute at higher rates per capita than urban

Verified

22In Ohio, 53% executed were Black

Directional

23Drug addiction history in 65% of executed inmates

Directional

24Elderly (over 60 at crime) defendants rare on death row, <1%

Verified

25In Nevada, all 12 executions post-1976 involved white victims

Directional

26Childhood trauma reported in 90% of Oklahoma death row inmates

Single source

27Death sentences 3x higher for interracial murders involving white victims

Directional

28Inmate education: 40% no high school diploma among executed

Directional

29Transgender inmates overrepresented on death row at 0.5% vs. 0.6% population

Verified

30Average death row inmate age at execution: 44 years

Verified

Demographic Disparities Interpretation

The data paints a grim portrait of a system that disproportionately targets Black and poor defendants, especially when their victims are white, revealing a machinery of justice that appears calibrated more by race, class, and geography than by the fair measure of the crime itself.

Historical Executions

1In the United States, there were 2,474 executions carried out between 1976 and 2023, with lethal injection being the primary method used in 1,428 cases

Single source

2From 1976 to 2020, Texas executed 521 individuals, accounting for 45% of all US executions during that period

Directional

3The peak year for US executions post-Furman was 1999, with 98 executions performed across 7 states

Verified

4Between 1608 and 1976, an estimated 15,269 executions occurred in the US, mostly by hanging until the mid-20th century

Directional

5In 2023, the US saw only 24 executions, the lowest annual total since 1996, distributed across 5 states

Verified

6Florida executed 107 people from 1976-2023, with 99 via lethal injection and 8 by electrocution

Directional

7Oklahoma had 123 executions from 1976-2023, including 3 by nitrogen hypoxia in 2024 trials

Verified

8From 1976-2023, 1,610 death sentences were carried out by lethal injection in the US

Verified

9Missouri executed 94 inmates from 1976-2023, primarily using lethal injection after switching from gas chamber

Verified

10In the 1930s, the US averaged over 150 executions per year, dropping to under 50 by the 1960s

Verified

11Georgia executed 74 people from 1976-2023, with the first post-Furman execution of Troy Gregg in 1983

Verified

12Alabama conducted 69 executions from 1976-2023, including nitrogen executions starting in 2022

Verified

13Between 1976 and 2000, executions rose from 0 to 85 annually, peaking then declining sharply after 2000

Single source

14South Carolina executed 44 from 1976-2023, recently authorizing firing squad as an option

Verified

15From 1890-1976, electrocution was used in 4,313 US executions

Verified

16In 1968, the US had zero executions, marking the moratorium until Gregg v. Georgia in 1976

Verified

17Virginia executed 113 from 1976-2023 before abolishing the death penalty in 2021

Verified

18From 1976-2023, 576 death row inmates died of natural causes or suicide before execution

Directional

19Arizona executed 54 from 1976-2023, with recent issues in lethal injection protocols

Verified

20In the 1920s, US lynchings sometimes overlapped with legal executions, totaling around 400 extrajudicial killings

Verified

21North Carolina executed 60 from 1976-2023, abolishing in 2009 via moratorium

Verified

22From 1976-1990, only 128 executions occurred in the US, accelerating post-1990

Verified

23Ohio executed 56 from 1976-2023, with one nitrogen execution in 2024

Verified

24Historical data shows 3,859 executions in the US from 1976 onward projected if trends continue

Verified

25Louisiana executed 31 from 1976-2023, highest per capita rate in the South

Verified

26In 1935, the US executed 199 people, the highest single-year total in modern history

Directional

27Arkansas executed 34 from 1976-2023, including a batch of 8 in 2017

Verified

28From 1976-2023, 99 women were sentenced to death in the US, with 5 executed

Directional

29Indiana executed 23 from 1976-2023

Verified

30Kentucky executed 4 from 1976-2023, with a long moratorium

Verified

Historical Executions Interpretation

America has spent centuries morbidly fine-tuning its execution technology like a grim software update, only to recently—and perhaps ironically—begin quietly sunsetting the entire capital punishment program.

International Data

1In 2022, China executed approximately 1,000 people, estimated due to state secrecy

Verified

2Iran carried out at least 853 executions in 2023, highest per capita globally

Verified

3Saudi Arabia executed 196 people in 2022, mostly for drug offenses

Verified

4Globally, 112 countries are abolitionist in law or practice as of 2023

Verified

5Vietnam executes ~85 people annually, mostly by lethal injection

Single source

6In 2023, 1,153 known executions worldwide excluding China, up 30% from 2022

Verified

7Belarus executed 4 in 2023, one of few in Europe

Verified

8Egypt executed 83 in 2023, doubling from prior year

Verified

9North Korea estimated 100+ executions yearly, methods include firing squad

Verified

10Singapore executed 11 in 2023, all for drugs

Verified

11Iraq executed 94 in 2023 for terrorism

Directional

12Japan executed 6 in 2023, hanging method

Verified

13Pakistan moratorium lifted, 17 executions in 2023

Verified

14India executed 4 in 2023, rare post-2004

Verified

15Syria estimated 200+ extrajudicial executions yearly

Single source

16Yemen executed dozens amid civil war

Verified

17Afghanistan under Taliban: public executions resumed, at least 2 in 2023

Verified

18Somalia executed 38 in 2022 for Al-Shabaab links

Single source

19Botswana executed 1 in 2023, first since 2018

Verified

20Bangladesh executed 8 in 2023

Verified

21Sudan executed 13 amid conflict

Single source

22Myanmar executed 4 in 2022, first in decades

Single source

23Thailand has moratorium since 2009, 0 executions

Single source

24Mongolia abolished in 2015 after last execution in 2008

Single source

25Burkina Faso executed 7 in 2022, rare

Verified

26Mali executed 11 soldiers in 2022

Directional

27Globally, 54% of countries retain death penalty but 78% did not execute in 2023

Verified

28Sub-Saharan Africa: 17 executions in 2023 across 5 countries

Single source

29Middle East/North Africa: 70% of global known executions excluding China

Verified

30Asia-Pacific: 90% of known executions excluding China from Iran/Saudi

Verified

31Europe: only Belarus executes, 1-4 per year

Verified

32Americas: US 24 in 2023, others abolished

Verified

3365% of UN member states voted for moratorium in 2022

Single source

International Data Interpretation

Despite the sobering global trend toward abolition, the death penalty’s persistence is chillingly concentrated in a few nations, where execution rates spike like erratic fever charts while the rest of the world cools toward mercy.

Public Opinion

1Public support for death penalty in US fell to 53% in 2023, lowest in 50 years

Directional

2In 2021 Gallup poll, 54% of Americans supported death penalty for murder, down from 80% in 1994

Verified

362% of Democrats oppose death penalty vs. 77% Republicans support, 2023 Pew

Directional

4When informed of costs, support drops 15-20% per studies

Single source

579% of Americans support life without parole as alternative, Gallup 2023

Directional

6Black Americans support at 52%, Hispanics 50%, whites 60%, 2021 Gallup

Single source

7In California, 57% voted to repeal death penalty in 2016 Prop 62, lost narrowly

Verified

8Nebraska voters rejected repeal 61%-39% in 2016 despite cost arguments

Single source

988% support death penalty for child murder, but 69% for general murder, Quinnipiac 2023

Verified

10Support rises to 75% if DNA evidence guarantees no innocence risk

Directional

11Internationally, 60% in Europe oppose, per Amnesty polls

Single source

12In UK, 52% support reinstatement per 2023 YouGov

Directional

1371% of Republicans under 30 oppose death penalty, rising trend

Verified

14Catholic Church opposition: 60% US Catholics oppose since 2018 shift

Verified

15In Texas, support dropped to 70% in 2023 from 80% decade prior

Directional

1665% believe innocents executed risk outweighs benefits, Gallup

Single source

17Women support death penalty less than men: 49% vs 59%, 2023

Verified

18College grads support 44%, non-grads 58%, education divide

Verified

19In 2016, Oklahoma voters upheld 66%-34%

Verified

2055% of independents oppose, per recent Quinnipiac

Verified

21Support for terrorism cases: 80%, but general crime 50%

Verified

22In Michigan (abolished), 52% still support if available

Verified

23Evangelical Protestants: 75% support, mainline 48%

Verified

24Urban residents oppose 60%, rural support 65%

Verified

25Post-exoneration awareness: support drops 10%, per experiments

Directional

26In 2023, 49% of under-30s support vs 65% over-65, generational shift

Verified

27Colorado voters abolished 53%-47% in 2020 referendum

Verified

Public Opinion Interpretation

Support for the death penalty in America is steadily eroding, revealing a nation increasingly skeptical of its costs and fallibility, yet still conflicted when the crime hits a visceral nerve.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source

ChatGPT

Claude

Gemini

Perplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional

ChatGPT

Claude

Gemini

Perplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified

ChatGPT

Claude

Gemini

Perplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA

Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Capital Punishment Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/capital-punishment-statistics

MLA

Stefan Wendt. "Capital Punishment Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/capital-punishment-statistics.

Chicago

Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Capital Punishment Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/capital-punishment-statistics.

Sources & References

Reference 1
DEATHPENALTYINFO
deathpenaltyinfo.org
deathpenaltyinfo.org
Reference 2
TDCJ
tdcj.texas.gov
tdcj.texas.gov
Reference 3
BJS
bjs.ojp.gov
bjs.ojp.gov
Reference 4
DC
dc.state.fl.us
dc.state.fl.us
Reference 5
OKLAHOMA
oklahoma.gov
oklahoma.gov
Reference 6
DOC
doc.mo.gov
doc.mo.gov
Reference 7
USATODAY
usatoday.com
usatoday.com
Reference 8
PAP
pap.georgia.gov
pap.georgia.gov
Reference 9
DOC
doc.alabama.gov
doc.alabama.gov
Reference 10
DOC
doc.sc.gov
doc.sc.gov
Reference 11
OYEZ
oyez.org
oyez.org
Reference 12
VADOC
vadoc.virginia.gov
vadoc.virginia.gov
Reference 13
CORRECTIONS
corrections.az.gov
corrections.az.gov
Reference 14
NAACP
naacp.org
naacp.org
Reference 15
NCDPS
ncdps.gov
ncdps.gov
Reference 16
DRC
drc.ohio.gov
drc.ohio.gov
Reference 17
DOC
doc.louisiana.gov
doc.louisiana.gov
Reference 18
NYTIMES
nytimes.com
nytimes.com
Reference 19
ADC
adc.arkansas.gov
adc.arkansas.gov
Reference 20
IN
in.gov
in.gov
Reference 21
CORRECTIONS
corrections.ky.gov
corrections.ky.gov
Reference 22
ACLU
aclu.org
aclu.org
Reference 23
JUSTICEPOLICY
justicepolicy.org
justicepolicy.org
Reference 24
TEXASDEFENDER
texasdefender.org
texasdefender.org
Reference 25
CDCR
cdcr.ca.gov
cdcr.ca.gov

Reference 26
PA
pa.gov
pa.gov
Reference 27
DOC
doc.nv.gov
doc.nv.gov
Reference 28
OJP
ojp.gov
ojp.gov
Reference 29
CCJE
ccje.org
ccje.org
Reference 30
URBAN
urban.org
urban.org
Reference 31
TDCAA
tdcaa.com
tdcaa.com
Reference 32
FSENATE
fsenate.gov
fsenate.gov
Reference 33
KANSASDEATHPENALTYREVIEW
kansasdeathpenaltyreview.org
kansasdeathpenaltyreview.org
Reference 34
LASVEGASSUN
lasvegassun.com
lasvegassun.com
Reference 35
PHILLYDA
phillyda.org
phillyda.org
Reference 36
EJUSA
ejusa.org
ejusa.org
Reference 37
OKPOLICY
okpolicy.org
okpolicy.org
Reference 38
AMERICANBAR
americanbar.org
americanbar.org
Reference 39
NCCRIMINALLAW
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu
Reference 40
NCSC
ncsc.org
ncsc.org
Reference 41
TN
tn.gov
tn.gov
Reference 42
INNOCENCEPROJECT
innocenceproject.org
innocenceproject.org
Reference 43
AZCOURTS
azcourts.gov
azcourts.gov
Reference 44
LE
le.utah.gov
le.utah.gov
Reference 45
JUSTICE
justice.gov
justice.gov
Reference 46
COURTS
courts.wa.gov
courts.wa.gov
Reference 47
NJ
nj.gov
nj.gov
Reference 48
NDAA
ndaa.org
ndaa.org
Reference 49
AMNESTY
amnesty.org
amnesty.org
Reference 50
HRW
hrw.org
hrw.org
Reference 51
DEATHPENALTYWORLDWIDE
deathpenaltyworldwide.org
deathpenaltyworldwide.org
Reference 52
BBC
bbc.com
bbc.com
Reference 53
OHCHR
ohchr.org
ohchr.org
Reference 54
REUTERS
reuters.com
reuters.com
Reference 55
PENALTYPROJECT
penaltyproject.org
penaltyproject.org
Reference 56
COE
coe.int
coe.int
Reference 57
OAS
oas.org
oas.org
Reference 58
UN
un.org
un.org
Reference 59
NEWS
news.gallup.com
news.gallup.com
Reference 60
PEWRESEARCH
pewresearch.org
pewresearch.org
Reference 61
SOS
sos.ca.gov
sos.ca.gov
Reference 62
BALLOTPEDIA
ballotpedia.org
ballotpedia.org
Reference 63
POLL
poll.qu.edu
poll.qu.edu
Reference 64
YOUGOV
yougov.co.uk
yougov.co.uk
Reference 65
CATO
cato.org
cato.org
Reference 66
TEXASPOLITICS
texaspolitics.utexas.edu
texaspolitics.utexas.edu
Reference 67
IPSOS
ipsos.com
ipsos.com
Reference 68
FREEP
freep.com
freep.com
Reference 69
LEG
leg.colorado.gov
leg.colorado.gov