August 19, 2019

The South Just Loves Executions

In an op-ed about the death penalty in the New York Times today, I came across a link to a fact sheet about executions in America. I guess this is no surprise, but if you want to know which region keeps the whole industry alive, here it is:

Breaking it down by state is also instructive. If you live someplace that was never a slave state (or territory), the death penalty is all but gone these days. But if you live someplace that was formerly a slave state, executions continue to be a big part of your cultural heritage. Just a coincidence, I’m sure.

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