In 1953, death row had 131 inmates, and 62 of them (47.33%) were executed. In 2009, death row had grown to 3,173 inmates (a 2,322% increase), and 52 of them (1.64%) were executed. The average time on death row more than doubled from 6 years and 2 months in 1984 to 14 years and one month by 2009. The primary reason inmates left death row is because their sentences or convictions were overturned (59.5%) and not because of execution (24.0%). Our new charts detail the number of death row inmates, executions, and average time in prison, as well as the primary reasons for removal from death row.
I. DEATH ROW INMATE EXECUTIONS, 1953-2009
Year
Total Death
Row Inmates
Number of Inmates
Executed
Percentage of Death
Row Inmates Executed
Average Time from
Sentence to Execution
for All Inmates
1953
131
62
47.33%
*
1954
147
81
55.1%
*
1955
125
76
60.8%
*
1956
146
65
44.52%
*
1957
151
65
43.05%
*
1958
147
49
33.33%
*
1959
164
49
29.88%
*
1960
212
56
26.42%
*
1961
257
42
16.34%
*
1962
267
47
17.60%
*
1963
297
21
7.07%
*
1964
315
15
4.76%
*
1965
331
7
2.11%
**
1966
406
1
0.25%
**
1967
435
2
0.46%
**
1968
517
0
0%
**
1969
575
0
0%
**
1970
631
0
0%
**
1971
642
0
0%
**
1972
334
0
0%
**
1973
134
0
0%
**
1974
244
0
0%
**
1975
488
0
0%
**
1976
420
0
0%
**
1977
423
1
0.24%
**
1978
482
0
0%
**
1979
593
2
0.34%
**
1980
682
0
0%
**
1981
860
1
0.12%
**
1982
1,066
2
0.19%
**
1983
1,209
5
0.41%
**
1984
1,420
21
1.48%
6 yrs. 2 mo.
1985
1,575
18
1.14%
5 yrs. 11 mo.
1986
1,800
18
1.00%
7 yrs. 3 mo.
1987
1,967
25
1.27%
7 yrs. 2 mo.
1988
2,117
11
0.52%
6 yrs. 8 mo.
1989
2,243
16
0.71%
7 yrs. 11 mo.
1990
2,346
23
0.98%
7 yrs. 11 mo.
1991
2,465
14
0.57%
9 yrs. 8 mo.
1992
2,580
31
1.20%
9 yrs. 6 mo.
1993
2,727
38
1.39%
9 yrs. 5 mo.
1994
2,905
31
1.07%
10 yrs. 2 mo.
1995
3,064
56
1.83%
11 yrs. 2 mo.
1996
3,242
45
1.39%
10 yrs. 5 mo.
1997
3,328
74
2.22%
11 yrs. 1 mo.
1998
3,465
68
1.96%
10 yrs. 10 mo.
1999
3,540
98
2.77%
11 yrs. 11 mo.
2000
3,601
85
2.36%
11 yrs. 5 mo.
2001
3,577
66
1.85%
11 yrs. 10 mo.
2002
3,562
71
1.99%
10 yrs. 7 mo.
2003
3,377
65
1.92%
10 yrs. 11 mo.
2004
3,320
59
1.78%
11 yrs.
2005
3,245
60
1.85%
12 yrs. 3 mo.
2006
3,233
53
1.64%
12 yrs. 1 mo.
2007
3,215
42
1.31%
12 yrs. 9 mo.
2008
3,210
37
1.15%
11 yrs. 7 mo.
2009
3,173
52
1.64%
14 yrs. 1 mo.
Year
Total Death
Row Inmates
Number of Inmates
Executed
Percentage of Death
Row Inmates Executed
Average Time from
Sentence to Execution
for All Inmates
* Averages are not available prior to 1965
** Averages not calculated by Department of Justice for fewer than 10 cases II. DEATH ROW REMOVALS BY REASON, 1973-2009
