Awaiting execution, death row inmates live in isolation for weeks to years. Unless assigned to a maximum security unit, they are served meals in their cells, where they may be allowed to shower and participate in group recreation.
At all earlier stages of the process, decisions by U.S. Attorney’s offices do not suggest any racial bias against minority defendants. However, this doesn’t mean racial or ethnic disparities don’t exist.
What is Death Row?
In states where the death penalty is sanctioned, individuals sentenced to execution will be confined to a designated prison section recognized as “death row.” The execution of inmates on death row is deferred until their appeals have been adjudicated. It is not uncommon for those on death row to endure extended periods, sometimes spanning decades, as their cases undergo consideration. The increasing age of individuals on death row has prompted apprehensions regarding their mental and physical well-being. In essence, what is death row denotes the specific prison area where individuals sentenced to the death penalty await their legal processes.
The bleak conditions of death row and years of uncertainty about the time of their executions have caused some prisoners to become suicidal or delusional. Some lawyers and psychologists have referred to these conditions as “death row syndrome,” originating with the 1989 extradition hearings for Jens Soering, a German citizen accused of murders in Virginia in 1985 who fled to the United Kingdom.
During their time on death row, prisoners are given three meals a day. Prison staff prepares the food, which is placed in insulated carts for each inmate and delivered to their cells. The inmates are provided with sporks and allowed to share the food with another person if desired.
Death row has been a central plot point in many works of fiction. For instance, The Green Mile by Stephen King relates the tale of a death row superintendent who befriends a prisoner possessing superhuman skills. The television show Prison Break also explores a wrongly convicted convict’s attempts to secure his release from death row.
What is the Death Penalty?
The death penalty is the punishment of execution by states for criminals convicted of killing others. Most state and federal governments authorize it, although 13 states and the military haven’t executed in a decade or more.
Prisoners on death row live in cells that are typically 36 square feet to less than 100 square feet and contain a steel bed, concrete slab, and toilet. They are confined to their cells most of the time, and their food is served through a slot in the cell door; they rarely interact with other prisoners face to face. Prisoners also have limited access to religious services and medical care.
Many people believe that the death penalty provides deterrence, justice, and safety. However, a growing number of people disagree. The evidence is clear that the death penalty has not deterred crime, is inconsistently applied, and often violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
LDF periodically releases a series of reports entitled Death Row USA that contains state-by-state information about death row populations, the length of time in which people remain on death row, and other capital punishment statistics in the United States. The reports are Adobe PDF downloads. In addition, LDF has a database that allows users to compare the experiences of inmates on death row across the country and in each state.
What is Life Without Parole?
Life without parole (LWOP) is a type of death penalty that is used in states across the country. It is a form of hopeless imprisonment preceding death and prevents people from getting second chances to change their lives (Gottschalk 2013, Seeds 2021).
LWOP inmates are housed in maximum security and have limited freedom to move around the prison, except for medical, exercise yards, and social/legal visits. They are cuffed to their chairs for most of their time and only allowed out of their cell for meals, media interviews, and other legal reasons. They have radios and 13″ televisions in their cells but cannot interact with other inmates or share the same room.
Inmates are allowed one automatic appeal on their sentence but can be denied a court-appointed attorney for the rest of their lives. They also are not given the same special consideration in case of an upcoming execution that they would get with a death penalty sentence (Lindsey 2019).
Long-term solitary confinement is unnecessarily restrictive, costs taxpayers too much, and does nothing to rehabilitate prisoners or protect public safety. It should be replaced with conditions encouraging inmates to participate in educational and vocational programs, keep their disciplinary records clean, and work on self-improvement. Inmates who fulfill these standards and rehabilitate and demonstrate good behavior should be eligible for parole hearings.
What is Life on Death Row?
Inmates who have been found guilty of a capital crime and given the death penalty are housed in a section of a prison known as “death row” in the United States. In some places, prisons have a particular facility or separate unit for death row inmates, while others do not. Regardless of where they are held, life on death row is bleak and isolated. Psychologists have argued that the isolation and the years of uncertainty about when they will be executed can cause prisoners to become delusional and insane. These conditions are sometimes called “death row syndrome” or “death row phenomenon.”
Death row inmates often remain confined for years, and even decades, while their cases make their way through the judicial system. Severe physical and mental decline may result from this. For example, in 2004, a 74-year-old man named J.B. Hubbard was put to death in Alabama for a 1977 murder. Before his execution, he was so weak that other inmates combed his hair and helped him shower. He also suffered from colon and prostate cancer and had trouble walking.
In the past, police officers and prosecutors have made errors that led to wrongful convictions and death sentences. These mistakes are often due to the pressure to obtain a conviction and the political stakes for the officer or prosecutor. In addition, many people on death row are poor and cannot afford to hire an effective lawyer.
