The essay pans the whole world and presents the death penalty practices. In the last paragraph the paper focuses on the USA exclusively. Over half the countries in the world have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice: * 75 countries and territories have abolished the death penalty for all crimes * 14 countries have abolished the death penalty for all but exceptional crimes such as wartime crimes * 20 countries can be considered abolitionist in practice: they retain …showed first 75 words of 639 total…

…showed last 75 words of 639 total…the USA in 2000, bringing to 683 the total number executed since the use of the death penalty was resumed in 1977. * Over 3,700 prisoners were under sentence of death as of 1 January 2001. * 38 of the 50 US states provide for the death penalty in law. The death penalty is also provided under US federal military and civilian law. WORKS CITED: Death Penalty Information Center http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/ "Should It Be Reintroduced?" http://www.publicdebate.com.au/is/1/bg.html