The United States is set to reach a new milestone for executions. Three inmates were put to death in South Carolina, Missouri and Texas since Friday, Sept. 20. Two more are scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26, in Alabama and Oklahoma.
According to a report by Newsweek , if those final two go forward, the U.S. will have reached 1,600 executions since the death penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976.
Gallup data shows support for the death penalty has been falling over the last two decades. The latest poll revealed 53% of Americans support the death penalty now. That’s down from 80% in 1994.
The executive director for The Death Penalty Information Center told Newsweek, “It (the data) shows a clear disconnect between the agendas of the elected officials and the reality that Americans are turning away from the death penalty.”
Advocates argue the death penalty for those convicted of murder can bring closure for the victims’ families.
29 states, Washington, D.C., and the federal government have either abolished the death penalty or paused executions.