Why US inmates are spending decades on death row before being execut­ed

There are hundreds of documentaries on the death penalty, and intimates facing death row - but what some might not know is that it’s a fairly lengthy process.

The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is currently legal in 27 states and at the federal/military level, while it has been abolished by 23 states.

Over 50 countries still use the death penalty - which isn’t as straight forward as some may think.

What is the death penalty?

The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is the execution by the state of an individual who has been convicted of a serious crime such as murder.

These inmates then spend time waiting on death row, which is a high-security prison section in which they await their execution. However, they can be waiting for years, even decades.

States the penalty is legal in include Texas, Alabama, Florida and Arizona. It’s illegal in states including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut and Delaware.

The death penalty is legal in 27 states (Getty Stock Image)

How long do inmates spend on death row?

Well, there’s no fixed answer.

Some are there for only a short period of time, while others are only one there for a short period of time ‘before their con­vic­tions or death sen­tences are over­turned in the courts,’ the Death Penalty Information Centre (DPIC) states.

Half have taken over a decade, while some have even spent more than four decades on death row.

In the past two decades, the time between someone being sentenced and executed is thought to have raised by two-thirds.

Statistics gathered from NPR reveal that in 2000, the average length was 11.4 years between sentencing and execution, whereas in 2020, it rose to 18.9 years.

But why is this? Well, experts told NPR: “This trend is due, in part, to changed opinions on capital punishment in the U.S., and a lengthier appeals process that delay executions.”

Inmates can be waiting years for execution (Getty Stock Image)

It’s not a straight forward process, with a mandatory appeals process put in place to prevent execution of innocent inmates.

There are also ‘legal challenges, high costs, and difficulties in procuring execution drugs,’ DPIC expands.

How many people are on death row in the US?

As of January 2025, there were approximately 2100 inmates on death row.

In statistics shared by the Death Penalty Information Centre, it’s said that 98% of these inmates are men, and only 2% are women.

Inmates on death row include Florida murderer, Wade Wilson, also known as The Deadpool Killer.

Wilson was sentenced to death in 2024 for the murders of 35-year-old Kristine Melton and 43-year-old Diane Ruiz in October 2019.

The heinous crimes have recently been brought to light by Netflix, in the new season of true crime documentary, Worst Ex Ever.