The end of the death penalty? Ctd

Carol S. Steiker and Jordan M. Steiker are convinced that opponents in the U.S. are closer to achieving their goal than they may think:

Death sentencing has dropped remarkably over the past fifteen years, making what was already a marginal practice (in terms of the frequency with which murder is actually punished with death) an exceptionally rare one. Whereas over 300 defendants were condemned to die per year in the mid-1990s, the most recent figures show a nationwide average closer to 115 per year—a more than 60 percent decline. Executions, too, have fallen significantly—by about 33 percent if one compares 1997-2003 (about 75 executions nationwide per year) and 2004-2010 (about 50 executions nationwide per year).

Wendy Kaminer takes note of the death penalty's enduring emotional appeal. (Image: Protesters show their support for death row inmate Troy Davis during a rally at the capitol in Atlanta September 20, 2011 / Reuters, via The Atlantic.)