10 facts about the death penalty in the U.S.
Here’s a closer look at public opinion on the death penalty, as well as key facts about the nation’s use of capital punishment.
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Most Americans Favor the Death Penalty Despite Concerns About Its Administration
Nearly eight-in-ten U.S. adults (78%) say there is some risk an innocent person will be put to death, and 63% say the death penalty does not deter people from committing serious crimes.
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Under Trump, the federal prison population continued its recent decline
The number of federal prisoners sentenced to more than a year behind bars decreased by 5% between 2017 and the end of 2019.
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How Trump compares with other recent presidents in appointing federal judges
Donald Trump leaves the White House having appointed nearly as many appeals court judges in four years as Barack Obama appointed in eight.
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Americans have heard more about clashes between police and protesters than other recent news stories
The public is more likely to have heard “a lot” about ongoing confrontations between police and protesters than several other stories.
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Before protests, black Americans said religious sermons should address race relations
Six-in-ten black adults say it is important for houses of worship to address “political topics such as immigration and race relations.”
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A month before George Floyd’s death, black and white Americans differed sharply in confidence in the police
In April, 78% of Americans overall – but 56% of black Americans – said they had confidence in police officers to act in the public’s best interests.
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10 things we know about race and policing in the U.S.
Black adults are about five times as likely as whites to say they’ve been unfairly stopped by police because of their race or ethnicity.
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Black imprisonment rate in the U.S. has fallen by a third since 2006
There were 1,501 black prisoners for every 100,000 black adults in 2018, down sharply from 2,261 black inmates per 100,000 black adults in 2006.
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About half of Americans are OK with DNA testing companies sharing user data with law enforcement
The use of at-home DNA testing kits has raised concerns about whether consumers are comfortable with the use of their data by police.
