"Executions in America"
*The 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids "cruel and unusual punishment," and opponents of the death penalty often cite this as a buttress to their beliefs. But although execution may be "cruel," it is certainly not "unusual," for thoughout the history of humankind there has been crime, much of it punishable by death.
The first use of the electric chair as a means of execution was in 1890 in New York. All but seven states allow capital punishment. Most rely on lethal injection and the electric chair, but hanging, the gas chamber, and the firing squad are still options in 11 states.
Law enforcement statistics indicate that there is no substantial proof that capital punishment acts as a deterrent to crime and, worse, that most executions are racially biased. (Between 1930 and 1967, 2066 blacks were executed to 1751 whites, although blacks made up only 10% of the population.) In 1967 the courts began serious debate over capital punishment, leading to reversal on nearly 80% of death penalties. In 1972 the Supreme Court, in Furman v. Georgia, declared the death sentence unconstitutional due to its being imposed arbitrarily. State legislatures fought to reinstate capital punishment, and in 1977 Gary Gilmore became the first condemned criminal to die since 1967.
Most capital cases involve homicide. There are more than 25,000 U.S. homicides a year, but although 300 inmates join death row per year, only 100 leave it, either by execution, natural death, or judicial invalidations. In 1968, 38% of Americans favored the death penalty; by 1988 the figure had risen to 80%. Today's society is troubled still by the death penalty, but executions are increasing. *Source: Card Back