Year
How to use the database
HANDS OFF CAIN’S 2015 REPORT
The worldwide situation (as of 30 June 2016)
EXECUTIONS IN 2014
EXECUTIONS IN 2015 (as of 30 June)
The most important facts of 2015 (and the first six months of 2016)
ADDRESS of Pope Francis
THE SMILING FACE OF THE MULLAHS
Reportage by Sergio D'Elia
ANALYSIS OF THE 2015 REPORT DATA AND OBJECTIVES OF HANDS OFF CAIN
Reportage by Marco Perduca
"THE ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2015” AWARD
Protocol of understanding between NTC and CNF
Dossier on death penalty and homosexuality
Final declaration of the Cairo workshop
Goals
Achievements
GENERAL MOTION OF THE FIFTH CONGRESS OF HOC
RESOLUTION OF THE KIGALI CONFERENCE
U.N. RESOLUTION 2014

U.N. RESOLUTION 2012
U.N. RESOLUTION 2010

REPORT ON THE 2ND ANNUAL EU FORUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY IN ZAMBIA

Videos

DECLARATION OF LIBREVILLE

Publications
Hands Off Cain Headquarters
U.N. RESOLUTION 2008

U.N. RESOLUTION 2007

Appeal To The United Nations
Board of Directors

LETHAL TRADE DOSSIER
2014 FREETOWN CONFERENCE Final Declaration
THE COTONOU DECLARATION 2014
DOSSIER IRAQ 2003

DOSSIER ON MORATORIUM
DOSSIER IRAQ 2012

DOSSIER USA 2011

NOBEL LAUREATES APPEAL
Bulletin Board
Sign up
Join appeal
Newsletter
Our Publications

USA: EXECUTIONS DISPROPORTIONATELY INVOLVE PRISONERS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

April 3, 2017:

A new study of the case records of the men and women executed in the United States between 2000 and 2015 has found that 21st-century executions disproportionately involve prisoners diagnosed with mental illness and who have experienced traumatic child abuse.
In an interview, Professor Frank Baumgartner and Betsy Neill of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill spoke of their forthcoming book “Deadly Justice: A Statistical Portrait of the Death Penalty” (Oxford University Press, 2017).
"Most Americans oppose the death penalty for the mentally ill. But our research suggests that the death penalty actually targets those who have mental illnesses." The authors' examination of case files found that 43% of the executed prisoners had received a mental illness diagnosis at some point in their lives, more than double the 18% of people in the general population who have ever been diagnosed with any mental illness. 4% of Americans have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Personality disorders and depression were the most commonly diagnosed illnesses among those executed, but executed death-row prisoners also had significantly higher rates of such serious disorders as schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder. Evidence of mental illness—and depression in particular—was especially prevalent among those prisoners who waived their appeals and "volunteered" for execution. 63% of volunteers had a mental illness diagnosis, compared to 39% of others who were executed. More than one-quarter (26%) of volunteers had been diagnosed with depression, 37% had documented suicidal tendencies, and nearly one-third (32%) had attempted suicide, leading the authors to suggest, "If suicidal tendencies are evidence of mental illness, then death penalty states actively assist suicide." Rates of childhood trauma—a risk factor for mental illness—were also dramatically higher among executed prisoners than among the general public.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates about 10% of U.S. children are abused or neglected, but nearly 40% of executed prisoners had been abused. The study found that executed death row prisoners were 13 times more likely than U.S. children as a whole to have been sexually abused, 13 times more likely to have been physically abused, and twice as likely to have been neglected by their caregivers. According to the authors, "The CDC and independent researchers have repeatedly found that childhood trauma’s long-term effects include higher likelihoods of disrupted neuro-development, cognitive impairment, mental illness, and becoming the perpetrator or victim of violence." Frank R. Baumgartner is a professor of political science at the University of North Carolina. Betsy Neill will graduate from UNC in May with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science.
Hands off Cain has reported news of several of Professor Baumgartner’s studies dealing with death penalty topics. (See APRIL 18, 2011 "The Death Penalty in North Carolina: A Summary of the Data and Scientific Studies"; JULY 16, 2015 "The impact of race, gender and geography on Missouri executions"; SEPTEMBER 20, 2015 "Race-Of-Victim Discrepancies in Homicides and Executions, Louisiana 1976-2015”; JANUARY 28, 2016 "The Impact of Race, Gender, and Geography on Ohio Executions”; APRIL 28, 2016 "Louisiana Death Sentenced Cases and Their Reversals, 1976-2015").

(Source: The Washington Post, Hand off Cain, 03/04/2017)

INDONESIA: GOVT REFUSES TO IMPLEMENT MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER WITH MENTAL ILLNESS EXECUTED ON MURDER CHARGES
INDIA: 325 DEATH ROW CONVICTS IN THE COUNTRY TILL 2016
PAKISTAN: TWO TERRORISTS HANGED IN SAHIWAL PRISON
SOUTH CAROLINA (USA): DYLANN ROOF TO SERVE NINE CONSECUTIVE LIFE SENTENCES
PAKISTAN: INDIAN AGENT KULBHUSHAN YADAV AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE
IRAN: HUNDREDS RALLY IN TEHRAN IN PROTEST AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: PUNTLAND MILITARY COURT EXECUTES 5 SUSPECTS LINKED TO AL SHABAAB
GAZA: THREE MEN HANGED FOR COLLABORATING WITH ISRAEL
ARKANSAS (USA): JUDGE BLOCKS EXECUTION OF JASON MCGEHEE
BANGLADESH: THREE TO DIE, ONE TO SPEND LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDERING STUDENT IN GAZIPUR
IRAN: INMATE EXECUTED AFTER SUFFERING HEART ATTACK
MALDIVES: TWO MEN CONVICTED OF 2011 MURDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
ARKANSAS CAN'T FIND ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS TO WITNESS BACK-TO-BACK EXECUTIONS
FLORIDA (USA): GOV. SCOTT TAKES AWAY 21 MORE MURDER CASES FROM ANTI-DEATH-PENALTY PROSECUTOR
NEW ZEALAND: LAWYER URGES COURT TO BLOCK EXTRADITION OF MURDER SUSPECT TO CHINA
EGYPT: PRELIMINARY DEATH SENTENCE ISSUED AGAINST CONTROVERSIAL MUSLIM PREACHER WAGDY GHONIM
BANGLADESH: 2 GET DEATH SENTENCE IN BLOGGER RAJIB MURDER CASE
TANZANIA: BUNGE COMMITTEE TOUTS REVIEW OF DEATH PENALTY

[<< Prec] 1 2
2024
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
  2023
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2022
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2021
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2020
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
 
2019
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2018
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2017
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2016
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2015
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2014
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
 
2013
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2012
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2011
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2010
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2009
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2008
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
 
2007
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2006
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2005
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
  2004
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
 
IRAN - Wife of Djalali pleads for EU action
  IRAN - Hands off Cain Year End Report: At least 284 executions in 2020  
  IRAN: HANDS OFF CAIN, THE HANGING OF THE PROTESTER MOSTAFA SALEHI IS A SHAME FOR THE SO-CALLED DEMOCRATIC WORLD   
  USA: ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’, BUT IS IT ONLY RACISM?  
  IRAN. HANDS OFF CAIN, REDUCTION OF DRUG EXECUTIONS BUT NUMBERS REMAIN WORRISOME  
  HUMAN RIGHTS: DEMONSTRATION OF THE RADICAL PARTY BEFORE IRANIAN EMBASSY 14 FEBRUARY  
news
-
latest actions
-
data base
-
actions
-
who we are
-
registered users
-
credits