Description
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) collects data on persons held under sentence of death and persons executed during the calendar year from the state departments of corrections and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, seeCapital Punishmentseries. Reports produced from this collection summarize the movement of prisoners into and out of death sentence status. The data describe prisoners’ sex, race, Hispanic origin, education, marital status, age at time of arrest for the capital offense, and legal status at the time of the offense. Reports also include information on removals, including execution trends and time between imposition of death sentence and execution.BJS also collects preliminary counts of executions during the following year to provide web users with the most recent available data, seePrisoners executed.
Terms & Definitions
Capital punishment
Capital punishment refers to the process of sentencing convicted offenders to death for the most serious crimes (capital crimes) and carrying out that sentence. The specific offenses and circ*mstances that determine if a crime is eligible for a death sentence are defined by statute and are prescribed by Congress or any state legislature.
Death row
Death row refers to incarcerated persons who have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution (as in "inmates on death row"). Historically, death row was a slang term that referred to the area of a prison in which prisoners who were under a sentence of death were housed. Usage of the term continues despite the fact that many states do not maintain a separate unit or facility for condemned inmates.
Date Created: February 18, 2021
As a seasoned expert in the field of criminal justice and capital punishment, my knowledge extends across various aspects of the subject matter, including the intricate details of data collection, statistical analysis, and the legal framework surrounding capital punishment in the United States.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) plays a crucial role in my expertise, serving as the primary source for comprehensive and reliable information on persons held under sentence of death and those executed in the United States. The BJS collects data annually from state departments of corrections and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, producing reports within the Capital Punishment series.
The data collected by BJS cover a wide range of essential elements, providing a holistic understanding of the movement of prisoners into and out of death sentence status. This includes detailed information on prisoners' demographics such as sex, race, Hispanic origin, education, marital status, age at the time of arrest for the capital offense, and legal status at the time of the offense. These factors contribute to a nuanced analysis of the demographics of individuals on death row and executed.
One notable aspect highlighted in the reports is the execution trends and the time elapsed between the imposition of a death sentence and its execution. This temporal dimension adds depth to the understanding of the capital punishment process, shedding light on the dynamics and timelines involved in carrying out such sentences.
Furthermore, BJS goes beyond retrospective analysis by collecting preliminary counts of executions in the following year, ensuring that web users have access to the most recent and up-to-date information. This commitment to timely data dissemination underscores the BJS's role in providing accurate and relevant statistics to policymakers, researchers, and the public.
In delving into the terms and definitions associated with capital punishment, it is imperative to understand the precise meaning of key concepts. "Capital punishment" itself refers to the process of sentencing convicted offenders to death for the most serious crimes, with specific criteria outlined by statutes at both federal and state levels. This underscores the legal and legislative dimensions that shape the application of the death penalty.
Additionally, the term "death row" denotes incarcerated individuals who have received a death sentence and are awaiting execution. While historically associated with a specific physical location within a prison, the term persists even in jurisdictions where a separate unit or facility for condemned inmates may not be maintained.
In conclusion, my in-depth knowledge of the Bureau of Justice Statistics' data collection methodologies, the contents of the Capital Punishment series, and the legal nuances surrounding capital punishment positions me as an authority on the subject matter, capable of providing insightful analysis and informed perspectives on recent publications, data collections, and the broader landscape of capital punishment in the United States.
