There are so many reasons, it’s hard to know where to start. But let’s begin with the basics. It’s inhumane. It’s racist. It operates on the assumption that some lives can be thrown away. And it’s senseless. It responds to violence with more violence. It creates not healing and safety, but more pain, more grieving families, more trauma — not just for those on death row and their families, but for prison staff, for jurors, for advocates, and sometimes, for those who have lost loved ones to murder.
Here, we offer what we see as some of the most compelling arguments for ending the death penalty. We’ve worked to provide many perspectives and tell as many stories as we can because different reasons resonate with different audiences — and we will continue to add more. Please get involved, and make your voice heard in this movement.
