There are not many subjects more hotly debated in the United States than the issue of capital punishment. The country seems to be almost equally divided. Many people feel that it’s necessary to provide true justice to victims and ensure the safety of American citizens, but just as many people maintain that it’s nothing more than legalized murder.

Courts for States with Most Executions

Recent Court Decisions on the Death Penalty

• Death Penalty Info: Site that keeps track of current death penalty decisions.
• History And Recent Decisions: Tracks both the history of the death penalty and recent decisions regarding it.
• 2005 Death Penalty Decision: Describes a landmark 2005 Supreme Court ruling about the death penalty when the crime involves a minor.
• Recent Rulings: Lists a host of recent rulings that involve the death penalty.
• Death Penalty News: Keeps track of all recent updates relating to the death penalty, including court cases.

Statistics Related to the Death Penalty

• Lethal Injection Article: Offers many statistics including how many prisoners are on death row and where they live.
• Bureau Of Justice Statistics: Has statistics from the year 2008 as well as a graph detailing the number of executions from 1930 to 2008.
• Death Penalty Facts: Lists information about the death penalty including things like how much it costs, what races are most affected, and how many of those with mental illness are affected.
• Anchorage Statistics: An Alaskan organization that keeps capital punishment records and other statistics that relate to them.
• The Death Penalty: 1930-2008: Provides statistics about the rate of death penalty cases from 1930 to 2008 as well as other relevant information.

Internet Sites (pro and anti-death penalty organization websites)

• Pro Death Penalty: Homepage for an organization that supports the death penalty. Site has articles, news, and other information about the death penalty.
• Pro Death Resource Community: A pro death penalty organization that keeps track of current death penalty court cases and executions.
• NCADP: Homepage for the NCADP, the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
• MVFR: Page for the Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation, an anti-capital punishment organization supported by victims’ families.
• Lamp Of Hope:  Site for an organization based in Texas that focuses on abolishing the death penalty in Texas.
• Fight Death Penalty in the USA: A Denmark-based organization that’s devoted to abolishing capital punishment in the United States.
• Pro-Capital Punishment Directory: A huge resource page of pro capital punishment organizations with links to them and a ranking system.

Articles Supporting Capital Punishment

• The Defense of the Death Penalty: A very long, detailed article that denounces many myths associated with the death penalty.
• For A Pro-Life Death Penalty: Viewpoint of a man who is both pro-life and pro capital punishment.
• Pro Capital Punishment Essay: An extensive, objective article supporting capital punishment.
• A Defense Of The Death Penalty: A long article that defends the death penalty.

Articles Denouncing Capital Punishment

• A Question of Innocence: An article expressing the view that the possibility of an innocent person being executed should override the fact that many who are executed are guilty.
• The Case against the Death Penalty: Very long, articulate article detailing why the author believes the death penalty is wrong.
• God's Criminal Justice System: A pastor expresses his viewpoints about how God would want the justice system to operate.
• Capital Punishment in the United States: An article written by someone who is anti capital punishment.