[Characteristics of Prisoners Under Sentence of Death]
Michael Fletcher, "Study Finds Wide Racial Disparity in Death Penalty," The Washington Post, June 5, 1998, Sec A, page 24.

In Philadelphia, the death penalty decision is guided by factors such as the severity of the crime, deliberate infliction of pain, and the defendant's criminal record. Taking these things in to mind, and comparing 992 murder cases, a 1998 study showed that blacks were four times more likely to receive the death penalty than others convicted of the same crime. In 667 of those cases, there was enough information to determine severity of the crime. A second study also points out that 98 percent of the prosecutors who can make life-or-death recommendations across the country are white.

• Is the fact that "blacks commit more serious crimes" a valid argument to explain this study? Why or why not?
• What factors may have skewed the results in this study?

[Wrongful Convictions]
Jeff Jacoby, "Supporters of the Capital Punishment Can Cheer Gov. Ryan's Decision," Boston Globe, February 28, 2000, Sec. A, page 15.

Illinois Governor George Ryan has declared a moratorium on executions in his state. The reason for this is that, in his state, several death row inmates have been found innocent-one 2 days before his execution. "Until I can be sure. . . that no innocent man or woman is facing lethal injection, no one will meet that fate."

Because of the finality of the punishment, death penalty cases are the most scrutinized and the most publicized. The author points out that while there are cases where mistakes are made, the overwhelming numbers are for accuracy in this system. No executed person has ever been proven innocent. The anti-capital punishment crowd keeps holding up the "someday it will happen" argument. A study published by the Stanford Law Review in 1987 supposedly identified 23 instances where innocent people had been executed-they later agreed with critics that they had not proven innocence.

• What would it take for American society to turn its back on capital punishment?
• What effect would the lack of a death penalty have on the criminal justice system?