[One-Pager] Capital Punishment in the U.S. and Momentum Toward Abolition

The United States is an international outlier when it comes to maintaining the death penalty; more than 70% of the world’s countries have abolished capital punishment in law or practice. (Source: Death Penalty Information Center)
But despite its poor record, the U.S. has seen intensifying momentum toward national death penalty abolition in recent years. From state-based repeal efforts to waning public support and declining executions and death sentences, there great reason to hope for a death penalty-free future in the U.S.

In this handout, you’ll find:

• Data to characterize the current state of the death penalty system in the U.S.
• Evidence of the growing momentum toward abolition
• References to Catholic Church teaching to support these trends