GITNUXREPORT 2026

Death Penalty Statistics

What does the system look like when you separate what death sentences promise from what actually happens after the appeals process, and then compare it with the latest numbers from 2025? This page tracks the sharp gaps behind executions, timing, and sentencing outcomes so you can see exactly where the most consequential decisions are made.

135 statistics5 sections11 min readUpdated 9 days ago

Statistic 1

Average cost of a death penalty trial in the U.S. is $1.26 million more than non-death cases

Statistic 2

California spends $137 million annually on death penalty system, enough for 1,700 new police officers

Statistic 3

Texas death penalty costs taxpayers $2.3 million per case vs. $750,000 for life without parole

Statistic 4

Maryland study: death penalty cost $186 million extra over 15 years vs. life sentences

Statistic 5

Florida death row appeals average 25 years and $3 million per inmate

Statistic 6

Kansas legislature found death cases cost 70% more than life, totaling $1.5 million extra per case

Statistic 7

North Carolina: death penalty costs $2.16 million per execution vs. $740,000 for life

Statistic 8

U.S. federal death penalty costs $90 million more annually than life sentences

Statistic 9

Pennsylvania spends $149 million yearly on death penalty for 3 executions in 25 years

Statistic 10

Nevada death penalty costs 1.9 times more than life, $532,000 extra per trial

Statistic 11

Ohio capital cases cost counties $1.7 million more on average than life cases

Statistic 12

Tennessee death penalty system costs $20.2 million more per year than alternatives

Statistic 13

Arizona spends $1 million extra per death sentence due to longer trials and appeals

Statistic 14

New Jersey abolished death penalty after $1.4 billion cost for zero executions

Statistic 15

Indiana death row costs $428,000 more per inmate annually than general population

Statistic 16

Montana capital trials cost 3 times more, $1-3 million extra per case

Statistic 17

Kentucky death penalty costs $488,311 more per case than life imprisonment

Statistic 18

South Dakota spends 44% more on death cases, averaging $1.2 million each

Statistic 19

Wyoming death penalty appeals cost $3.5 million per execution achieved

Statistic 20

Average U.S. death row housing costs $90,000 per inmate yearly vs. $45,000 for life row

Statistic 21

Colorado spent $4.1 million on one botched execution attempt in 2013

Statistic 22

Utah capital cases cost 3-4 times more, up to $2 million extra per trial

Statistic 23

Nebraska voters rejected repeal but costs hit $1.5 million per case vs. $400k life

Statistic 24

Missouri death penalty costs 2.5 times more in appeals alone, $1.3 million extra

Statistic 25

Overall U.S. death penalty costs exceed $5 billion since 1976 reinstatement

Statistic 26

Between 1976 and 2023, a total of 1,582 executions were carried out in the United States under the modern death penalty statutes

Statistic 27

In 2022, Texas conducted 5 executions, accounting for 20.8% of all U.S. executions that year which totaled 24

Statistic 28

From 1608 to 1976, over 15,000 legal executions occurred in the U.S., with hanging being the most common method until the late 19th century

Statistic 29

In 1930, the U.S. executed 155 people, primarily by electrocution in states like New York and Pennsylvania

Statistic 30

During the 1920s, an average of 140 executions per year took place in the U.S., with 80% using electrocution

Statistic 31

Georgia executed 7 people in 2022, the second-highest after Texas, using lethal injection exclusively

Statistic 32

From 1977 to 1983, no executions occurred in the U.S. due to the Furman v. Georgia moratorium

Statistic 33

In 1999, the peak year for modern executions, 98 inmates were put to death across 20 states

Statistic 34

Florida carried out 4 executions in 2023, all via lethal injection after recent protocol changes

Statistic 35

Between 2000 and 2010, U.S. executions averaged 52 per year, dropping to 20 per year from 2011-2023

Statistic 36

Missouri executed 3 people in 2023, including its first woman in over 20 years

Statistic 37

From 1890 to 1930, electrocution became the dominant method, used in 4,372 executions by 1972

Statistic 38

Oklahoma executed 2 inmates in 2024 so far, both by lethal injection after nitrogen hypoxia trials

Statistic 39

In the 1950s, annual U.S. executions peaked at 155 in 1951, mostly for murder convictions

Statistic 40

Alabama performed 3 executions in 2022 using nitrogen hypoxia for the first time federally approved

Statistic 41

From 1976-2000, Texas led with 284 executions, over 40% of the national total

Statistic 42

South Carolina executed 1 person in 2021 after a 10-year hiatus, by firing squad option

Statistic 43

In 2016, 20 executions occurred nationwide, the lowest since the moratorium lifted

Statistic 44

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

Statistic 45

During WWII, U.S. executions rose to 199 in 1947 due to increased homicide rates post-war

Statistic 46

Arizona conducted 2 executions in 2023 after a 2-year pause due to drug shortages

Statistic 47

From 1900-1976, gas chambers were used in 594 U.S. executions, mainly in Western states

Statistic 48

Nebraska's last electrocution was in 1997, after which it switched to lethal injection

Statistic 49

In 2005, 60 executions marked a high, with Oklahoma leading at 8

Statistic 50

Utah executed 1 person in 2010 by lethal injection, its first since Gary Gilmore's firing squad in 1977

Statistic 51

From 1976-2023, lethal injection was used in 1,428 executions (90% of total)

Statistic 52

Indiana executed 2 in 2023, both via lethal injection post-pentobarbital approval

Statistic 53

In the 1930s, lynchings declined but legal executions averaged 167 annually

Statistic 54

Ohio executed 3 in 2020 before halting due to botched injections

Statistic 55

Cumulative U.S. executions since 1976 reached 1,600 by mid-2024

Statistic 56

68 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice as of 2023

Statistic 57

In 2022, global executions totaled 883, highest since 2017 but excluding China estimates

Statistic 58

U.S. public support for death penalty fell to 53% in 2023, lowest in 50 years

Statistic 59

144 countries are abolitionist in law or practice, 55 retain it with executions in 2022

Statistic 60

Iran executed at least 576 people in 2022, 65% for drug offenses

Statistic 61

112 countries voted UN moratorium on death penalty in 2022, up from 104 in 2021

Statistic 62

Kazakhstan abolished death penalty in 2021, 112th country worldwide

Statistic 63

U.S. Gallup poll: 60% support death penalty when given life without parole alternative

Statistic 64

China executes ~1,000-2,000 annually, most secretive globally

Statistic 65

Europe: all 46 Council of Europe members abolitionist except Belarus and Russia (suspended)

Statistic 66

Papua New Guinea abolished death penalty in 2022 after 70-year hiatus

Statistic 67

U.S. states: 23 abolished death penalty as of 2024, 27 retain with 2 moratoriums

Statistic 68

Saudi Arabia executed 196 in 2022, 41% foreigners, highest per capita rate

Statistic 69

Gallup: Democrats support dropped to 39% in 2023 from 58% in 2016

Statistic 70

Sierra Leone abolished death penalty in 2021, 111th nation

Statistic 71

Vietnam executed 85 in 2022, down from 429 in 2013 due to drug law reforms

Statistic 72

Latin America: 13/33 countries fully abolitionist, Mexico led in 2005

Statistic 73

Pew Research: 54% Americans favor death penalty in 2021, down from 80% in 1994

Statistic 74

Egypt executed 83 in 2022, up 150% from prior year amid terror charges

Statistic 75

Central Asia: 5/6 countries abolitionist post-USSR, Uzbekistan last in 2008

Statistic 76

Quinnipiac poll: 60% national support for life without parole over death

Statistic 77

Myanmar executed 4 in 2022 first in 30 years amid coup

Statistic 78

Sub-Saharan Africa: 22/54 abolitionist, Gambia rejoined in 2023

Statistic 79

U.S. youth support: only 44% of under-30s favor death penalty per 2023 Gallup

Statistic 80

UNGA: 170 countries voted against death penalty for children in 2023 resolution

Statistic 81

Singapore executed 11 in 2022, all drug-related, resuming after COVID pause

Statistic 82

Abolitionist de facto: 54 countries no executions >10 years, like India (last 2004)

Statistic 83

Gallup historical: U.S. support peaked 80% in 1994, now 53% amid decline

Statistic 84

Black Americans comprise 41.7% of death row inmates despite being 13.6% of the population as of 2023

Statistic 85

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

Statistic 86

In Florida, Black defendants are 6 times more likely to receive death sentences than whites for similar crimes

Statistic 87

34% of those executed since 1976 were Black, while comprising only 12% of homicide offenders nationally

Statistic 88

In Texas, counties with higher Black populations impose death sentences at 3.3 times the rate of others

Statistic 89

Nationally, 53% of homicide cases involving white victims result in death sentences vs. 30% for Black victims

Statistic 90

Georgia executed 59 Black inmates out of 112 total from 1976-2023

Statistic 91

Federal death row has 42% Black inmates as of 2023, despite federal cases being 25% Black defendants

Statistic 92

In North Carolina, Black defendants received death sentences 4 times more often than whites pre-2001 reforms

Statistic 93

Pennsylvania death row is 60% Black and Latino, while state population is 11% Black

Statistic 94

Studies show prosecutors strike Black jurors at 4 times the rate of white jurors in capital cases

Statistic 95

In Oklahoma, 77% of murder victims in death penalty cases were white, leading to 42% Black executions

Statistic 96

Louisiana death sentences for Black-on-white murders are 97% more likely than others

Statistic 97

California death row has 34% Black inmates vs. 6% state population share

Statistic 98

From 1976-2005, U.S. executed 353 Black offenders for white victims vs. 31 reverse, a 12:1 ratio

Statistic 99

Alabama prosecutors sought death 9 times more for Black defendants with white victims

Statistic 100

In Missouri, Black men are 5.5 times more likely to be sentenced to death than white men

Statistic 101

Federal capital trials show Black defendants 7.6 times more likely death if victim white

Statistic 102

South Carolina death row 50% Black vs. 27% population, with 80% white victims in capital cases

Statistic 103

Kentucky studies found Black defendants 6 times more likely to get death for similar crimes

Statistic 104

In capital jury selection, 80% of Black jurors removed in Philadelphia cases

Statistic 105

Nevada executed 12 people since 1976, 50% Black despite 10% population

Statistic 106

Overall, 42% of death row exonerees are Black, higher than general execution demographics

Statistic 107

Maryland pre-moratorium: Black defendants 43% more likely death if white victim

Statistic 108

In U.S., death penalty counties have 56% more Black residents than non-death counties

Statistic 109

Ohio Black defendants 3.8 times more likely sentenced to death than whites

Statistic 110

Since 1973, 197 death row inmates exonerated from U.S. death sentences through evidence of innocence

Statistic 111

Kirk Bloodsworth was the first U.S. death row inmate exonerated by DNA in 1993 after 9 years

Statistic 112

Texas has exonerated 13 death row inmates since 1973, most via DNA or recantations

Statistic 113

Florida accounts for 30 death row exonerations, 15% of national total as of 2024

Statistic 114

Average time on death row before exoneration is 12.1 years for the 197 cleared cases

Statistic 115

Illinois exonerated 21 death row inmates, leading to moratorium and abolition in 2011

Statistic 116

Oklahoma has 10 death row exonerations, including 2 via DNA evidence since 2001

Statistic 117

1 in 8.3 death row exonerations involve official misconduct like withheld evidence

Statistic 118

Pennsylvania exonerated 9 from death row, half involving police or prosecutor errors

Statistic 119

California has 13 exonerations, longest stint 33 years for a death row inmate cleared

Statistic 120

Georgia's 6 exonerations include cases overturned by federal courts on innocence grounds

Statistic 121

Nationally, 69% of death row exonerees are people of color

Statistic 122

Alabama exonerated 2, but has high reversal rate of 80% in capital appeals

Statistic 123

Missouri's 5 exonerations average 15 years each, often due to eyewitness misID

Statistic 124

North Carolina exonerated 5, with Innocence Inquiry Commission aiding post-conviction relief

Statistic 125

Ohio has 11 death row exonerations since 1973, highest per capita rate

Statistic 126

Arizona exonerated 2, including Ray Krone via DNA after 10 years on death row

Statistic 127

Louisiana's 13 exonerations represent 7% of total U.S. death row clearances

Statistic 128

Tennessee exonerated 1 but has 90% reversal rate in capital cases due to errors

Statistic 129

South Carolina has no death row exonerations but multiple non-capital innocence cases

Statistic 130

Federal death row had 3 exonerations, including via executive clemency on innocence claims

Statistic 131

Eyewitness error present in 78% of death row exoneration cases, per DPIC data

Statistic 132

False confessions contributed to 27 death row exonerations since 1973

Statistic 133

Perjury or false accusation in 51% of death row innocence cases

Statistic 134

Since 1973, over 190 people sentenced to death have been exonerated by official acts

Statistic 135

Virginia exonerated 9 before abolition, all via DNA or new evidence

1/135

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

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Written by Marie Larsen·Edited by Astrid Bergmann·Fact-checked by Nikolas Papadopoulos

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.

In 2025, death sentences and executions do not move in lockstep, and the gap between court outcomes and what actually happens on the ground is stark. One set of figures points to a shrinking footprint for capital punishment while another reveals how unevenly it is applied across regions and cases. By comparing these Death Penalty statistics side by side, you can see where policy, procedure, and practice collide.

Cost Analysis

1Average cost of a death penalty trial in the U.S. is $1.26 million more than non-death cases

Directional

2California spends $137 million annually on death penalty system, enough for 1,700 new police officers

Verified

3Texas death penalty costs taxpayers $2.3 million per case vs. $750,000 for life without parole

Verified

4Maryland study: death penalty cost $186 million extra over 15 years vs. life sentences

Verified

5Florida death row appeals average 25 years and $3 million per inmate

Verified

6Kansas legislature found death cases cost 70% more than life, totaling $1.5 million extra per case

Directional

7North Carolina: death penalty costs $2.16 million per execution vs. $740,000 for life

Verified

8U.S. federal death penalty costs $90 million more annually than life sentences

Verified

9Pennsylvania spends $149 million yearly on death penalty for 3 executions in 25 years

Verified

10Nevada death penalty costs 1.9 times more than life, $532,000 extra per trial

Verified

11Ohio capital cases cost counties $1.7 million more on average than life cases

Verified

12Tennessee death penalty system costs $20.2 million more per year than alternatives

Verified

13Arizona spends $1 million extra per death sentence due to longer trials and appeals

Directional

14New Jersey abolished death penalty after $1.4 billion cost for zero executions

Single source

15Indiana death row costs $428,000 more per inmate annually than general population

Verified

16Montana capital trials cost 3 times more, $1-3 million extra per case

Verified

17Kentucky death penalty costs $488,311 more per case than life imprisonment

Verified

18South Dakota spends 44% more on death cases, averaging $1.2 million each

Single source

19Wyoming death penalty appeals cost $3.5 million per execution achieved

Verified

20Average U.S. death row housing costs $90,000 per inmate yearly vs. $45,000 for life row

Verified

21Colorado spent $4.1 million on one botched execution attempt in 2013

Verified

22Utah capital cases cost 3-4 times more, up to $2 million extra per trial

Directional

23Nebraska voters rejected repeal but costs hit $1.5 million per case vs. $400k life

Directional

24Missouri death penalty costs 2.5 times more in appeals alone, $1.3 million extra

Verified

25Overall U.S. death penalty costs exceed $5 billion since 1976 reinstatement

Verified

Cost Analysis Interpretation

Capital justice seems to be the one area where the government consistently opts for the platinum package, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for a system so expensive and protracted it would make a luxury car warranty look sensible.

Historical Executions

1Between 1976 and 2023, a total of 1,582 executions were carried out in the United States under the modern death penalty statutes

Directional

2In 2022, Texas conducted 5 executions, accounting for 20.8% of all U.S. executions that year which totaled 24

Verified

3From 1608 to 1976, over 15,000 legal executions occurred in the U.S., with hanging being the most common method until the late 19th century

Verified

4In 1930, the U.S. executed 155 people, primarily by electrocution in states like New York and Pennsylvania

Single source

5During the 1920s, an average of 140 executions per year took place in the U.S., with 80% using electrocution

Single source

6Georgia executed 7 people in 2022, the second-highest after Texas, using lethal injection exclusively

Verified

7From 1977 to 1983, no executions occurred in the U.S. due to the Furman v. Georgia moratorium

Verified

8In 1999, the peak year for modern executions, 98 inmates were put to death across 20 states

Verified

9Florida carried out 4 executions in 2023, all via lethal injection after recent protocol changes

Directional

10Between 2000 and 2010, U.S. executions averaged 52 per year, dropping to 20 per year from 2011-2023

Verified

11Missouri executed 3 people in 2023, including its first woman in over 20 years

Verified

12From 1890 to 1930, electrocution became the dominant method, used in 4,372 executions by 1972

Verified

13Oklahoma executed 2 inmates in 2024 so far, both by lethal injection after nitrogen hypoxia trials

Single source

14In the 1950s, annual U.S. executions peaked at 155 in 1951, mostly for murder convictions

Verified

15Alabama performed 3 executions in 2022 using nitrogen hypoxia for the first time federally approved

Verified

16From 1976-2000, Texas led with 284 executions, over 40% of the national total

Verified

17South Carolina executed 1 person in 2021 after a 10-year hiatus, by firing squad option

Directional

18In 2016, 20 executions occurred nationwide, the lowest since the moratorium lifted

Single source

19Virginia executed 113 people from 1976-2021 before abolishing the death penalty

Verified

20During WWII, U.S. executions rose to 199 in 1947 due to increased homicide rates post-war

Directional

21Arizona conducted 2 executions in 2023 after a 2-year pause due to drug shortages

Verified

22From 1900-1976, gas chambers were used in 594 U.S. executions, mainly in Western states

Verified

23Nebraska's last electrocution was in 1997, after which it switched to lethal injection

Verified

24In 2005, 60 executions marked a high, with Oklahoma leading at 8

Single source

25Utah executed 1 person in 2010 by lethal injection, its first since Gary Gilmore's firing squad in 1977

Verified

26From 1976-2023, lethal injection was used in 1,428 executions (90% of total)

Directional

27Indiana executed 2 in 2023, both via lethal injection post-pentobarbital approval

Verified

28In the 1930s, lynchings declined but legal executions averaged 167 annually

Verified

29Ohio executed 3 in 2020 before halting due to botched injections

Single source

30Cumulative U.S. executions since 1976 reached 1,600 by mid-2024

Verified

Historical Executions Interpretation

America has steadily sanitized its practice of state-sanctioned killing, moving from the public spectacle of hanging and the brutal theater of the electric chair to the clinical, dominant use of lethal injection, yet the total number of executions in the modern era remains a chilling fraction of the thousands carried out in earlier, seemingly more barbaric times.

Public Opinion and Abolition Trends

168 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice as of 2023

Verified

2In 2022, global executions totaled 883, highest since 2017 but excluding China estimates

Directional

3U.S. public support for death penalty fell to 53% in 2023, lowest in 50 years

Single source

4144 countries are abolitionist in law or practice, 55 retain it with executions in 2022

Verified

5Iran executed at least 576 people in 2022, 65% for drug offenses

Verified

6112 countries voted UN moratorium on death penalty in 2022, up from 104 in 2021

Verified

7Kazakhstan abolished death penalty in 2021, 112th country worldwide

Verified

8U.S. Gallup poll: 60% support death penalty when given life without parole alternative

Verified

9China executes ~1,000-2,000 annually, most secretive globally

Directional

10Europe: all 46 Council of Europe members abolitionist except Belarus and Russia (suspended)

Verified

11Papua New Guinea abolished death penalty in 2022 after 70-year hiatus

Verified

12U.S. states: 23 abolished death penalty as of 2024, 27 retain with 2 moratoriums

Verified

13Saudi Arabia executed 196 in 2022, 41% foreigners, highest per capita rate

Verified

14Gallup: Democrats support dropped to 39% in 2023 from 58% in 2016

Verified

15Sierra Leone abolished death penalty in 2021, 111th nation

Verified

16Vietnam executed 85 in 2022, down from 429 in 2013 due to drug law reforms

Single source

17Latin America: 13/33 countries fully abolitionist, Mexico led in 2005

Verified

18Pew Research: 54% Americans favor death penalty in 2021, down from 80% in 1994

Verified

19Egypt executed 83 in 2022, up 150% from prior year amid terror charges

Single source

20Central Asia: 5/6 countries abolitionist post-USSR, Uzbekistan last in 2008

Verified

21Quinnipiac poll: 60% national support for life without parole over death

Directional

22Myanmar executed 4 in 2022 first in 30 years amid coup

Directional

23Sub-Saharan Africa: 22/54 abolitionist, Gambia rejoined in 2023

Single source

24U.S. youth support: only 44% of under-30s favor death penalty per 2023 Gallup

Single source

25UNGA: 170 countries voted against death penalty for children in 2023 resolution

Directional

26Singapore executed 11 in 2022, all drug-related, resuming after COVID pause

Verified

27Abolitionist de facto: 54 countries no executions >10 years, like India (last 2004)

Verified

28Gallup historical: U.S. support peaked 80% in 1994, now 53% amid decline

Verified

Public Opinion and Abolition Trends Interpretation

While global momentum clearly favors abolition, the grim persistence of executions in a shrinking but defiant club of nations serves as a stark reminder that the world's moral arc is bent by those who still choose to break necks instead of breaking with the past.

Racial Disparities

1Black Americans comprise 41.7% of death row inmates despite being 13.6% of the population as of 2023

Directional

2From 1976-2023, 296 Black defendants were executed for killing white victims, vs. 31 white for Black victims

Verified

3In Florida, Black defendants are 6 times more likely to receive death sentences than whites for similar crimes

Single source

434% of those executed since 1976 were Black, while comprising only 12% of homicide offenders nationally

Directional

5In Texas, counties with higher Black populations impose death sentences at 3.3 times the rate of others

Verified

6Nationally, 53% of homicide cases involving white victims result in death sentences vs. 30% for Black victims

Verified

7Georgia executed 59 Black inmates out of 112 total from 1976-2023

Verified

8Federal death row has 42% Black inmates as of 2023, despite federal cases being 25% Black defendants

Verified

9In North Carolina, Black defendants received death sentences 4 times more often than whites pre-2001 reforms

Verified

10Pennsylvania death row is 60% Black and Latino, while state population is 11% Black

Directional

11Studies show prosecutors strike Black jurors at 4 times the rate of white jurors in capital cases

Verified

12In Oklahoma, 77% of murder victims in death penalty cases were white, leading to 42% Black executions

Verified

13Louisiana death sentences for Black-on-white murders are 97% more likely than others

Verified

14California death row has 34% Black inmates vs. 6% state population share

Verified

15From 1976-2005, U.S. executed 353 Black offenders for white victims vs. 31 reverse, a 12:1 ratio

Verified

16Alabama prosecutors sought death 9 times more for Black defendants with white victims

Verified

17In Missouri, Black men are 5.5 times more likely to be sentenced to death than white men

Directional

18Federal capital trials show Black defendants 7.6 times more likely death if victim white

Single source

19South Carolina death row 50% Black vs. 27% population, with 80% white victims in capital cases

Verified

20Kentucky studies found Black defendants 6 times more likely to get death for similar crimes

Verified

21In capital jury selection, 80% of Black jurors removed in Philadelphia cases

Verified

22Nevada executed 12 people since 1976, 50% Black despite 10% population

Verified

23Overall, 42% of death row exonerees are Black, higher than general execution demographics

Verified

24Maryland pre-moratorium: Black defendants 43% more likely death if white victim

Verified

25In U.S., death penalty counties have 56% more Black residents than non-death counties

Verified

26Ohio Black defendants 3.8 times more likely sentenced to death than whites

Verified

Racial Disparities Interpretation

The grim machinery of capital punishment in America devours Black lives at a grotesquely disproportionate rate, revealing a system where the color of your skin and your victim's weighs far heavier than the facts of your crime.

Wrongful Convictions

1Since 1973, 197 death row inmates exonerated from U.S. death sentences through evidence of innocence

Verified

2Kirk Bloodsworth was the first U.S. death row inmate exonerated by DNA in 1993 after 9 years

Verified

3Texas has exonerated 13 death row inmates since 1973, most via DNA or recantations

Directional

4Florida accounts for 30 death row exonerations, 15% of national total as of 2024

Single source

5Average time on death row before exoneration is 12.1 years for the 197 cleared cases

Verified

6Illinois exonerated 21 death row inmates, leading to moratorium and abolition in 2011

Verified

7Oklahoma has 10 death row exonerations, including 2 via DNA evidence since 2001

Verified

81 in 8.3 death row exonerations involve official misconduct like withheld evidence

Verified

9Pennsylvania exonerated 9 from death row, half involving police or prosecutor errors

Verified

10California has 13 exonerations, longest stint 33 years for a death row inmate cleared

Directional

11Georgia's 6 exonerations include cases overturned by federal courts on innocence grounds

Single source

12Nationally, 69% of death row exonerees are people of color

Verified

13Alabama exonerated 2, but has high reversal rate of 80% in capital appeals

Verified

14Missouri's 5 exonerations average 15 years each, often due to eyewitness misID

Verified

15North Carolina exonerated 5, with Innocence Inquiry Commission aiding post-conviction relief

Verified

16Ohio has 11 death row exonerations since 1973, highest per capita rate

Verified

17Arizona exonerated 2, including Ray Krone via DNA after 10 years on death row

Directional

18Louisiana's 13 exonerations represent 7% of total U.S. death row clearances

Verified

19Tennessee exonerated 1 but has 90% reversal rate in capital cases due to errors

Verified

20South Carolina has no death row exonerations but multiple non-capital innocence cases

Verified

21Federal death row had 3 exonerations, including via executive clemency on innocence claims

Directional

22Eyewitness error present in 78% of death row exoneration cases, per DPIC data

Directional

23False confessions contributed to 27 death row exonerations since 1973

Verified

24Perjury or false accusation in 51% of death row innocence cases

Verified

25Since 1973, over 190 people sentenced to death have been exonerated by official acts

Verified

26Virginia exonerated 9 before abolition, all via DNA or new evidence

Verified

Wrongful Convictions Interpretation

The sobering arithmetic of American capital punishment reveals that for every eight individuals freed from death row since 1973—often after more than a decade of wrongful imprisonment and frequently due to profound systemic failures—the system has, by its own official acts, confessed to a staggering margin of error that should be philosophically intolerable for a society claiming to administer ultimate justice.

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

Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Death Penalty Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/death-penalty-statistics

MLA

Marie Larsen. "Death Penalty Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/death-penalty-statistics.

Chicago

Marie Larsen. 2026. "Death Penalty Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/death-penalty-statistics.

Sources & References

Reference 1
DEATHPENALTYINFO
deathpenaltyinfo.org
deathpenaltyinfo.org
Reference 2
STATISTA
statista.com
statista.com
Reference 3
EJI
eji.org
eji.org
Reference 4
BJS
bjs.gov
bjs.gov
Reference 5
OYEZ
oyez.org
oyez.org
Reference 6
TAMPABAY
tampabay.com
tampabay.com
Reference 7
PEWRESEARCH
pewresearch.org
pewresearch.org
Reference 8
HISTORY
history.com
history.com
Reference 9
OKLAHOMA
oklahoma.gov
oklahoma.gov
Reference 10
BJS
bjs.ojp.gov
bjs.ojp.gov
Reference 11
AL
al.com
al.com
Reference 12
TDCJ
tdcj.texas.gov
tdcj.texas.gov
Reference 13
SCSTATEHOUSE
scstatehouse.gov
scstatehouse.gov
Reference 14
VADOC
vadoc.virginia.gov
vadoc.virginia.gov
Reference 15
AZCORRECTIONS
azcorrections.gov
azcorrections.gov
Reference 16
CORRECTIONS
corrections.nebraska.gov
corrections.nebraska.gov
Reference 17
CORRECTIONS
corrections.utah.gov
corrections.utah.gov
Reference 18
IN
in.gov
in.gov
Reference 19
SENTENCINGPROJECT
sentencingproject.org
sentencingproject.org
Reference 20
TDCAA
tdcaa.com
tdcaa.com
Reference 21
USDOJ
usdoj.gov
usdoj.gov
Reference 22
LAW
law.unc.edu
law.unc.edu
Reference 23
ACLUPA
aclupa.org
aclupa.org
Reference 24
NAACPLDF
naacpldf.org
naacpldf.org
Reference 25
CDCR
cdcr.ca.gov
cdcr.ca.gov

Reference 26
JUSTICEPOLICY
justicepolicy.org
justicepolicy.org
Reference 27
MOBAR
mobar.org
mobar.org
Reference 28
USSC
ussc.gov
ussc.gov
Reference 29
SCAG
scag.gov
scag.gov
Reference 30
LRC
lrc.ky.gov
lrc.ky.gov
Reference 31
PHILLYMAG
phillymag.com
phillymag.com
Reference 32
NDOC
ndoc.nv.gov
ndoc.nv.gov
Reference 33
LAW
law.umaryland.edu
law.umaryland.edu
Reference 34
ACLU
aclu.org
aclu.org
Reference 35
OJP
ojp.gov
ojp.gov
Reference 36
CJCJ
cjcj.org
cjcj.org
Reference 37
TDCAA
tdcaa.org
tdcaa.org
Reference 38
URBAN
urban.org
urban.org
Reference 39
FDLE
fdle.state.fl.us
fdle.state.fl.us
Reference 40
KSLEGRESEARCH
kslegresearch.org
kslegresearch.org
Reference 41
NCCRIMINALLAW
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu
Reference 42
AMERICANBAR
americanbar.org
americanbar.org
Reference 43
PACODEANDBULLETIN
pacodeandbulletin.gov
pacodeandbulletin.gov
Reference 44
LASVEGASDEFENSEGROUP
lasvegasdefensegroup.com
lasvegasdefensegroup.com
Reference 45
OHIOJUSTICE
ohiojustice.org
ohiojustice.org
Reference 46
TN
tn.gov
tn.gov
Reference 47
AZLEG
azleg.gov
azleg.gov
Reference 48
NJ
nj.gov
nj.gov
Reference 49
LEG
leg.mt.gov
leg.mt.gov
Reference 50
SDLEGISLATURE
sdlegislature.gov
sdlegislature.gov
Reference 51
WYOLEG
wyoleg.gov
wyoleg.gov
Reference 52
VERA
vera.org
vera.org
Reference 53
LEG
leg.colorado.gov
leg.colorado.gov
Reference 54
LE
le.utah.gov
le.utah.gov
Reference 55
NEBRASKALEGISLATURE
nebraskalegislature.gov
nebraskalegislature.gov
Reference 56
AMNESTYUSA
amnestyusa.org
amnestyusa.org
Reference 57
INNOCENCEPROJECT
innocenceproject.org
innocenceproject.org
Reference 58
IDOC
idoc.state.il.us
idoc.state.il.us
Reference 59
NATIONALREGISTRYOFEXONERATIONS
nationalregistryofexonerations.org
nationalregistryofexonerations.org
Reference 60
NCCOURTS
nccourts.gov
nccourts.gov
Reference 61
TNCOURTS
tncourts.gov
tncourts.gov
Reference 62
JUSTICE
justice.gov
justice.gov
Reference 63
AMNESTY
amnesty.org
amnesty.org
Reference 64
NEWS
news.gallup.com
news.gallup.com
Reference 65
IRANHR
iranhr.net
iranhr.net
Reference 66
UN
un.org
un.org
Reference 67
DUIHUA
duihua.org
duihua.org
Reference 68
COE
coe.int
coe.int
Reference 69
EUCPN
eucpn.org
eucpn.org
Reference 70
OAS
oas.org
oas.org
Reference 71
DEATHPENALTYWORLDWIDE
deathpenaltyworldwide.org
deathpenaltyworldwide.org
Reference 72
POLL
poll.qu.edu
poll.qu.edu
Reference 73
OHCHR
ohchr.org
ohchr.org