What is the federal criminal justice system's approach to the death penalty?

The federal criminal justice system’s approach to the death penalty is largely based on the level of the crime that has been committed. If someone is found guilty of a federal crime that is punishable by death, the decision of death or life in prison is made by a jury. In Arizona, the only federal crimes that are punishable by death are terrorism, espionage, treason, drug-kingpin related murders, murder of a federal judge or law enforcement officer, and certain types of murders in furtherance of criminal enterprise. Due to the severe nature of these crimes, the federal government requires a greater level of proof in order to establish guilt in death penalty cases. This means that more evidence must be presented to the jury as well as a higher standard of proof than is usually required for other types of cases. Furthermore, the jury has to unanimously agree on the verdict for the death penalty to be handed down. Although the death penalty is a possibility, the federal criminal justice system’s approach to the death penalty generally focuses on providing a sentence that is both just and proportional to the crime that has been committed. In the end, the court seeks to impose punishments that are equal to the seriousness of the crime, but also take into consideration the circumstances and character of the defendant.

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What is the federal criminal justice system's approach to the death penalty?

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