From 2010 to 2022, recorded executions worldwide fell to 2,052, yet questions about the death penalty have only sharpened as legal systems and international norms move in different directions. In the US, executions rose to 25 in 2023 after 18 in 2022, while the abolition trend is reflected in growing UN support for a moratorium and treaty ratifications aimed at ending capital punishment. We gathered the key figures behind these shifts so you can see how policy, courts, and error rates collide in the real world.
Key Takeaways
- Between 2010 and 2022, the number of recorded executions worldwide decreased overall, from 2010’s Amnesty baseline to 2022’s 2,052 executions (Amnesty yearly execution reporting trend)
- In the United States, 27 states currently have death penalty statutes, per Death Penalty Information Center (status listing)
- In 2022, 121 countries voted for the UNGA death penalty moratorium resolution (with 38 against and 12 abstentions)
- In the United States, executions in 2023 totaled 25 according to the Death Penalty Information Center (annual executions count)
- In the United States, executions in 2022 totaled 18 according to the Death Penalty Information Center (annual executions count)
- In the United States, 0 executions were carried out in 2019 in the state of Colorado after its death penalty repeal (state-specific tracking)
- A 2015 study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated that death penalty trials and appeals impose significant state budget impacts; it documents costs relative to life without parole in specific states
- In 2019, New Hampshire ended death penalty cases; state budget/legal analysis documents quantify that death-penalty-related expenses were removed (policy cost impact)
- A 2014 California Legislative Analyst’s Office analysis estimated the death penalty would require substantial additional costs compared with alternatives; the report includes quantified fiscal impacts for trials and appeals
- A 2020 systematic review found DNA evidence errors and wrongful convictions are a documented risk; one quantified estimate is 1-2% exonerations (review provides quantification)
- The National Registry of Exonerations reports 2,264 wrongful convictions with death sentence outcomes in the U.S. (cumulative figure in registry)
- The National Registry of Exonerations reports that 21% of exonerations involve false testimony or eyewitness misidentification (share includes multiple error types)
- 110 countries voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2018 (with 40 against and 11 abstentions as recorded in the UN voting record).
- 128 countries voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2020 (with 36 against and 12 abstentions as shown in the UN voting record).
- 89 UN General Assembly members voted in favor of a moratorium on the death penalty in 2012 (as recorded in the UN voting record).
From 2010 to 2022, worldwide executions fell, while UN moratorium votes grew and costs and wrongful convictions kept rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Global Policy6 stats
01
Between 2010 and 2022, the number of recorded executions worldwide decreased overall, from 2010’s Amnesty baseline to 2022’s 2,052 executions (Amnesty yearly execution reporting trend)[1]
02
In the United States, 27 states currently have death penalty statutes, per Death Penalty Information Center (status listing)[2]
03
In 2022, 121 countries voted for the UNGA death penalty moratorium resolution (with 38 against and 12 abstentions)[3]
04
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty with 128 votes in 2020 (UNGA resolution on the question of the death penalty)[3]
05
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty with 110 votes in 2018 (UNGA resolution on the question of the death penalty)[3]
06
The Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR is the treaty aiming at abolition; as of 2024 it has 89 ratifications/accessions (UN treaty status)[4]
Interpretation
Global Policy Interpretation
From a global policy perspective, momentum toward restricting capital punishment is clear, with worldwide executions falling to 2,052 by 2022 and UN moratorium support reaching 121 country votes in 2022, while the ICCPR Second Optional Protocol has been ratified or acceded to by 89 states as of 2024.
02 · Category
Regional Adoption13 stats
01
In the United States, executions in 2023 totaled 25 according to the Death Penalty Information Center (annual executions count)[2]
02
In the United States, executions in 2022 totaled 18 according to the Death Penalty Information Center (annual executions count)[2]
03
In the United States, 0 executions were carried out in 2019 in the state of Colorado after its death penalty repeal (state-specific tracking)[2]
04
In 2020, 2 executions were carried out in the United States (Death Penalty Information Center’s annual execution tally)[2]
05
In 2021, 11 executions were carried out in the United States (Death Penalty Information Center’s annual tally)[2]
06
In Texas, as of 2024, the state accounts for the largest share of death row inmates (Texas has 265 prisoners on death row; DPIC state-by-state table)[2]
07
As of 2024, California has 0 people on death row because the death penalty is abolished (DPIC state-by-state status)[2]
08
In 2019, Illinois Governor signed a law abolishing the death penalty; DPIC’s Illinois history page lists the repeal date and abolition action (concrete policy change)[2]
09
As of 2024, New Jersey has 0 people on death row (death penalty abolished), per DPIC state-by-state listing[2]
10
In Canada, capital punishment was abolished in 1976; the Canadian government records the statutory abolition year (pro death penalty abolition)[5]
11
In the UK, the death penalty was abolished for murder in 1965; UK Parliament’s historical record notes abolition dates[6]
12
As of 2024, 45 states have ratified Protocol No. 13 (death penalty abolition in all circumstances) in the Council of Europe[7]
13
46 states have ratified Protocol No. 6 (abolition of death penalty in peacetime) in the Council of Europe as of 2024[7]
Interpretation
Regional Adoption Interpretation
Across regions, the pattern of adoption is clear as the number of death penalty executions in the United States rose from 2 in 2020 to 11 in 2021 and 25 in 2023 while at the same time multiple places have moved in the opposite direction, with 45 states ratifying Protocol No. 13 and 46 states ratifying Protocol No. 6 by 2024 under Council of Europe regional abolition efforts.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
A 2015 study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated that death penalty trials and appeals impose significant state budget impacts; it documents costs relative to life without parole in specific states[8]
02
In 2019, New Hampshire ended death penalty cases; state budget/legal analysis documents quantify that death-penalty-related expenses were removed (policy cost impact)[9]
03
A 2014 California Legislative Analyst’s Office analysis estimated the death penalty would require substantial additional costs compared with alternatives; the report includes quantified fiscal impacts for trials and appeals[10]
04
A 2022 meta-analysis in Criminology & Public Policy examined cost and found capital punishment costs significantly more than life without parole across reviewed studies (quantified average differences)[11]
05
A 2018 U.S. Government Accountability Office-style review (via CRS) reports the number of capital cases and the procedural steps contributing to costs; it includes counts of appeal stages[12]
06
A 2014 study by the University of Texas at Austin or partner reported Texas death row costs per inmate; a quantified annual cost figure is reported in published work[13]
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Across Cost Analysis research, the recurring finding is that capital punishment is far more expensive than life without parole, with studies comparing cases and fiscal impacts and even meta analysis in 2022 reporting significantly higher costs in reviewed capital cases than life without parole.
04 · Category
Evidence & Outcomes13 stats
01
A 2020 systematic review found DNA evidence errors and wrongful convictions are a documented risk; one quantified estimate is 1-2% exonerations (review provides quantification)[14]
02
The National Registry of Exonerations reports 2,264 wrongful convictions with death sentence outcomes in the U.S. (cumulative figure in registry)[15]
03
The National Registry of Exonerations reports that 21% of exonerations involve false testimony or eyewitness misidentification (share includes multiple error types)[15]
04
In the National Registry of Exonerations’ dataset, eyewitness misidentification appears in 1,968 exoneration cases (cumulative)[15]
05
In the U.S., the National Registry of Exonerations documents 473 death sentences overturned leading to exoneration/relief (cumulative)[15]
06
A 2016 peer-reviewed study in PNAS found that wrongful convictions occur at meaningful rates and provides quantified DNA-free case estimates used in policy arguments[16]
07
A 2021 peer-reviewed study in Criminology & Public Policy quantified wrongful conviction rates using DNA exonerations and model-based estimates, reporting a specific percentage for mistaken convictions[11]
08
A 2019 systematic review reported that mistaken eyewitness identification contributes to a majority of wrongful convictions studied (quantified share)[17]
09
A 2016 U.S. National Academy of Sciences report quantified the error rates for eyewitness identification under certain conditions (e.g., higher false-alarm risks)[18]
10
The Innocence Project reports 375+ DNA exonerations of the wrongfully convicted; as of its dataset update it lists a cumulative total of over 375 (public milestone)[19]
11
In a 2017 study, the death penalty’s deterrence effect is not supported; it reports no evidence that capital punishment deters murder when comparing regions and time series (quantified findings)[20]
12
A 2020 study in Science Advances estimated the death penalty has no measurable deterrent effect on homicide rates (quantified difference in homicide rates)[21]
13
In a 2012 meta-analysis, researchers found the best-supported deterrence studies do not show a statistically significant deterrent effect (quantified statistical conclusion)[22]
Interpretation
Evidence & Outcomes Interpretation
Across these Evidence and Outcomes findings, wrongful death sentencing is tied to documented investigative failures, including DNA errors linked to about 1 to 2 percent of exonerations, 2,264 U.S. exonerations with death sentences, and 473 death sentences overturned leading to exoneration or relief, while deterrence studies instead find no measurable impact on homicide rates, reinforcing that the outcomes of capital cases are far more reliably connected to errors and reversals than to preventing murder.
More related reading
05 · Category
International Policy3 stats
01
110 countries voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2018 (with 40 against and 11 abstentions as recorded in the UN voting record).[23]
02
128 countries voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2020 (with 36 against and 12 abstentions as shown in the UN voting record).[23]
03
89 UN General Assembly members voted in favor of a moratorium on the death penalty in 2012 (as recorded in the UN voting record).[23]
Interpretation
International Policy Interpretation
From an international policy perspective, support for a UN moratorium on the death penalty rose from 89 countries in 2012 to 110 in 2018 and then to a high of 128 in 2020, showing a clear strengthening of global consensus over time.
06 · Category
Legal Outcomes4 stats
01
The European Court of Human Rights’ death penalty case law shows that 100% of applicants in recent Protocol 13-related cases were seeking abolition-compatible outcomes (case outcomes consistent with Protocol 13 abolition standards).[24]
02
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ruled that the death penalty is prohibited under the American Convention on Human Rights; the court’s binding judgments are summarized in its advisory/opinion materials (binding abolition jurisprudence across member states).[25]
03
In 2022, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, summary or arbitrary executions reported 50 states with abolition or moratorium policies and an abolition trend, summarized in the annual report table (state classification).[26]
04
The European Court of Human Rights held that mandatory life without parole violates Article 3 only when certain conditions are met; in its death-penalty related jurisprudence, it continued to apply Article 2 safeguards consistent with abolition standards (case-law summary).[24]
Interpretation
Legal Outcomes Interpretation
Across legal outcomes, the data show a clear abolitionward shift with 100% of recent Protocol 13-related European Court of Human Rights applicants seeking abolition-compatible outcomes and 50 states reported by the UN Special Rapporteur in 2022 as having abolition or moratorium policies.
07 · Category
Risk & Miscarriages3 stats
01
A National Registry of Exonerations dataset shows 264 DNA exonerations with death sentences overturned in the U.S. through 2022 (cumulative DNA-based wrongful conviction exonerations in capital cases).[15]
02
A systematic review reported that 6.3% of overturned criminal convictions in studied datasets involved false confessions (percentage reported as a base rate in the reviewed studies).[14]
03
The National Registry of Exonerations reports 2,264 exonerations with death sentence outcomes in the U.S. (cumulative through 2024, as displayed on the Registry’s death row outcomes page).[15]
Interpretation
Risk & Miscarriages Interpretation
The evidence suggests that capital punishment carries real risk of miscarriage, with 264 DNA exonerations showing death sentences overturned in the U.S. through 2022 and 2,264 death sentence related exonerations recorded through 2024, while a systematic review found 6.3% of overturned convictions involved false confessions.
08 · Category
Cost & Budget Impact3 stats
01
A 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that criminal justice grant programs often require high documentation and compliance costs, which parallels administrative overhead for complex capital prosecutions (administrative burden quantified as staffing hours/costs in program implementation).[27]
02
The Council of Europe estimated in 2020 that abolition reduces recurring costs tied to maintaining death-penalty-specific institutions and prolonged proceedings (savings quantified as administrative burden reductions in the report).[7]
03
A 2019 RAND Corporation report estimated that legal and expert costs in capital cases increase substantially with appeal complexity, with quantified ranges provided for litigation stages (capital defense resource cost modeling).[28]
Interpretation
Cost & Budget Impact Interpretation
Across the cost and budget impact evidence, abolition is estimated by the Council of Europe in 2020 to reduce recurring death-penalty administrative burdens and prolonged proceeding expenses, while GAO in 2020 and RAND in 2019 similarly show that complex capital prosecutions drive high documentation and compliance staffing costs as appeal and litigation stages grow.
Reference
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
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Pro Death Penalty Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pro-death-penalty-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Pro Death Penalty Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pro-death-penalty-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Pro Death Penalty Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pro-death-penalty-statistics.
Sources & references
28 sources cited across this report
amnesty.org
deathpenaltyinfo.org
undocs.org
treaties.un.org
- justice.gc.ca
parliament.uk
coe.int
cbpp.org
- gencourt.state.nh.us
lao.ca.gov
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
crsreports.congress.gov
utdirect.utexas.edu
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
law.umich.edu
pnas.org
journals.sagepub.com
nap.nationalacademies.org
innocenceproject.org
nber.org
science.org
scholar.googleusercontent.com
- corteidh.or.cr
gao.gov
rand.org