Question

which statements about the death penalty are correct?

correct answer(s)

death penalty sentences and executions have decreased over time.

the supreme court has restricted the cases in which the death penalty can be applied.

in 1972, the supreme court overturned several state death penalty laws because they were being applied unevenly.

procedural changes in the 1970s remedied the uneven application of the death penalty.

incorrect answer(s)

Explanation:

Analyze historical trends and Supreme Court rulings on the death penalty

• Death penalty sentences and executions peaked in the late 1990s and have steadily decreased over time.
• In Furman v. Georgia (1972), the Supreme Court struck down existing state death penalty laws due to arbitrary and uneven application.
• The Supreme Court has restricted capital punishment, banning it for minors (Roper v. Simmons) and intellectually disabled individuals (Atkins v. Virginia).

Evaluate the procedural changes statement

• In Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the Court approved new bifurcated trial procedures to guide sentencing.
• Despite these procedural changes, studies and legal challenges show that racial disparities and uneven application of the death penalty persist today, meaning the changes did not fully "remedy" the uneven application.

Answer:

Question 1

• Death penalty sentences and executions have decreased over time. (Correct answer)
• In 1972, the Supreme Court overturned several state death penalty laws because they were being applied unevenly. (Correct answer)
• The Supreme Court has restricted the cases in which the death penalty can be applied. (Correct answer)
• Procedural changes in the 1970s remedied the uneven application of the death penalty.