Race, Gender & Ethnicity - Essay Example

Reaction Paper on Facts about the Death Penalty Affiliation with more information about affiliation, research grants, conflict of interest and how to contactReaction Paper on Facts about the Death Penalty “Facts about the Death Penalty,” updated on September 20 2010, available on the web site of Death Penalty Information Center, provides an exhaustive data about the present status of death penalty in the states across US as well as national averages of several aspects. While 35 states in the US accept the award of death as a punishment, 15 states eschew this system of punishing the guilty.

The detailed data provided on the site includes, among other things, information relating to year-wise total number of executions for 35 years from 1976 to 2010, race wise categorization of the penalty, number of exonerations state wise, race of people on death row, criminologist view of deterrence etc. This information can be useful to several interest groups and it is easily understandable even for laymen. In total there have been “1226” executions in the last 35 years, which make the yearly average to 35 (Facts about the Death Penalty, 2010).

The data indicates that in the 70s and 80s death sentences were very few. It has registered an increase from mid 90s and the bar chart allows an easy and clear interpretation of the data. After showing a decreasing trend for several years, it increased from 37 in 2008 to 52 in 2009 and fell to 38 in 2010. Thus, it will suggest that death punishment does not act as an effective deterrent. The site presents the data in an easily discernible manner so that users can easily understand it. The article offers data on the executed persons’ race that of the victims in the cases of death penalty.

“687” or “56%” are Whites, Blacks constitute “424” or “35%” while “91” or “7%” are Hispanics and “24” or “2%” are from other categories (Facts about the Death Penalty, 2010). Whites constitute of the victims with “76%” and Blacks are second with “15%” while Hispanics and others comprise “6%” and “3%” respectively (Facts about the Death Penalty, 2010). These details provide the users with a clear idea of the racial orientation of the death penalties.

The article further mentions about the discrimination in 96% states, based on the “pattern of either race-of-victim or race-of-defendant” and finds, based on research evidence that “98% of chief district attorneys” are Whites (Facts about the Death Penalty, 2010). This information, again, enables the users to understand the influence that race can exercise in the death penalty cases. The article also finds that since the year 1973, “130 people,” whose innocence has been proved, “have been released from death row” (Facts about the Death Penalty, 2010).

This evidence suggests that the American legal system offers death row convicts fair trials and adequate chances to prove their innocence. The data also provide detailed state wise information of several other aspects, which can be handy for the users. Based on the data provided on the site, the inference of 88% of criminologists that death penalty does not act as a deterrent in homicide cases seems quite tenable. The article clearly illustrates all relevant information and will be very useful to people who are interested in exploring this topic.

Reference ListFacts about the Death Penalty, (2010). Death Penalty Information Center. Washington DC 20036. Retrieved November, 3 2012 from < http://www.academia-research.com/filecache/instr/d/e/738218_death_penalty_fact_sheet.pdf>