The governor of New York intends to formalize the abolition of the death penalty

An execution room

Photo : Associated Press

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The number of executions in the United States has declined over the past two decades. From 98 inmates executed in a record year 1999, the United States rose to 23 last year, according to data compiled by the Death Penalty Information Center. Fourteen people have been executed since the start of the year.

Despite a declining practice, many elected officials remain convinced supporters of the death penalty, including among Catholics.

The Pope’s announcement risks putting some of them, for example the governors of Texas and Nebraska, Greg Abbott and Pete Ricketts, in an uncomfortable position. The first has authorized around 30 executions since taking office in 2015, and the second has engaged in a political and legal standoff to successfully reinstate the death penalty in 2016.

These two Catholic politicians, however, remain aligned with a population whose support for the death penalty may have diminished over the years, but remains in the majority.

According to a poll conducted last spring, Americans support the death penalty in a proportion of 54% against 39%. The figures are comparable among Catholics: 53% are in favor of the death penalty while 42%, in line with the leader of their Church, oppose it.

Support is even greater among Protestants, men and whites.

However, it is between Republicans and Democrats that the divide is most marked: 77% of Republicans support the death penalty against 35% of Democrats.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 19 of the 50 US states, including New York City, do not impose the death penalty. However, 21 states where this practice remains legal have not carried out any executions in the past five years.

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