Gender Bias in the Death Penalty

GENDER BIAS INTHE DEATH PENALTY The death penalty has existed in the United States for over 400 years. In that time, almost 20,000 people have been executed-yet less than 3% of them have been women. Are we too lenient on women or too harsh on men? Or is one gender more or less violent than the other? EXECUTIONS SINCE 1900 In the past century, over 8,500 men have been executed, and just 52 women. Women make up about 10% of murder convictions, but only 1% of executions since 1976, referred to as the "modern era" of the death penalty. EXECUTIONS SINCE 1976 100 Men Women 60 99.4% MEN 40 00.6% WOMEN 77'78'79'80'81 '82'83'84'85'86'87 '88'89'90'91 '92'93'94 '95 '96'97 '98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06 '07'08 '09'10'11'12 DEATH ROW 2013 • Only 13 women have been executed from 1976 to 2013. 1,343 men have been executed in the same time period. Women not only receive the death sentence less often than men, but women on death row also have their death sentences carried out less often than men. As of 2013, there are 3,189 9% of men have had their death sentences carried out 3.6% of women have had their death sentences carried out desth row. ARE WOMEN Women who are on death row are more likely than men to have killed family members or close relatives. MEN GIVEN THE DEATH WOMEN GIVEN THE DEATH SENTENCE SINCE 1973 SENTENCE SINCE 1973 Half of women on death row said they had been victims of child abuse, partner abuse, or both. CRIMES OF WOMEN ON DEATH ROW 2013 DEMOGRAPHICS OF WOMEN ON DEATH ROW 26% 27% 50% 11% RACE AGE AT CRIME CURRENT AGE 4% 58% IN PRISON 24% White (61%) 30s (38%) 40s (39%) Black (21%) 20s (36%) 50s (24%) Latina (13%) 40s (18%) RELATIONSHIP OF VICTIMS ADDITIONAL CHARGES 30s (21%) Asian (3%) Teens (5%) Killed family member(s) Burglary/Robbery 60s (8%) American-Indian (2%) 50s (3%) Killed aquaintance(s) Kidnapping 70s (3%) Killed stranger(s) Sexual Assault 20s (3%) Child Molestation Sources: www.deathpenaltyinfo.org, www.amnesty.org, www.prisonstudies.org 20