Why are the majority of death row inmates Caucasian?

Question

The majority of inmates are minorities, and generally minorities receive harsher sentences. What explains the death row inmates?

Answer 1

I think you're mistaken, there are far more minorities on death row.

Answer 2

His info is correct, sort of. There are slightly more Caucasians on death row than blacks. Last time I checked, Caucasians made up the majority of the population. If by minorities you mean all non-whites, then there are more minorities than whites on death row.

Answer 3

Minorities are over-represented on death row. If, say, 10% of the population is black, but 30% of inmates on death row are black, then whites are still the majority on death row even though blacks are over-represented.

In fact it's not about race so much as it is about class. 99% of prisoners on death row are indigent, people who couldn't afford to defend themselves and had to rely on a public defender. When a defendant -is- rich enough to defend himself, prosecutors are much less likely to call for the death penalty.

Answer 4

The majority of ALL inmates - including those on death row - are whites, because whites are the majority of the whole US population.

The percentage of whites in prison, and on death row, is lower than the percentage in the general public, but they're still the largest group.

Richard

Answer 5

I have to say I think your info is inaccurate and I don't belive minorites always get harsher sentences. I think that a time the sentencing guidlines for more minority commited crimes are harsher, but just because the crimes tend to be worse ( crack compared to powered cocaine, crack is much worse and dangerous, not because minorites do them but because it is a worse drug.) Commiting the same crime and being identical on paper, then they would get the same sentencing.

Answer 6

I think your info is faulty.

Answer 7

why does it matter, they are all animals.