Reforming capital punishment is needed because innocent people are often executed for crimes they didn't commit. The death penalty is wrong, unfair, and inhumane.

• INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE OFTEN SENTENCED TO DEATH: Every 1 in 9 person executed, there has been one person on death row exonerated. Additionally, innocent people are frequently put on death row. Since 1973, more than 156 people were released from death rows in 26 states because they were innocent. Moreover, innocent people are falsely accused, especially by the police and prosecutors. In 2018, misconduct by cops and prosecutors were involved in 79% of homicide exonerations.
• THE DEATH PENALTY IS UNFAIR: There is racial bias in capital punishment. During 1930-1996, 4,220 inmates in the U.S. were executed, 53% were Black. In addition, the death penalty is inflicted on those with mental illness. Mental health experts guess that there’s at least 20% of people on death row that have a serious mental illness. Lastly, juveniles are sentenced to death. Between 1976-2005, 22 people were executed for crimes they committed when they were juveniles.
• THE DEATH PENALTY DOESN'T STOP OTHER CRIMES FROM HAPPENING: During 2000-2010, the murder rate was 25-46% higher with states that have capital punishment, rather than ones without.

Ways we can get capital punishment reform:

1. LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE: An alternative to the death penalty is life without parole. This solution is better than the death penalty because capital punishment is expensive. In addition, this solution gets rids of the risk of executing an innocent person and it gives the chance of new evidence coming to light.
2. BUILDING SUPPORT: Educating yourself and others about the death penalty is one step closer to capital punishment reform. As well as finding people who will advocate and campaign to help abolish capital punishment. Bringing awareness to the death penalty is important because people are able to educate themselves about how the death penalty is harmful.
3. APPLY PRESSURE: Keep an eye out on the states that have the death penalty and apply pressure on the governments to not go through with it. This can be done by creating and signing petitions and holding rallies for change.