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

The federal criminal justice system does acknowledge the death penalty as a possible consequence for certain types of crimes. The death penalty is seen as a way to send a message that certain types of violent and heinous crimes are not tolerated in U.S. jurisdictions. Currently, neither the federal government nor the state of California employs the death penalty. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that the federal death penalty is unconstitutional, however it is still in effect in some states. In California, the death penalty was overturned by the state Supreme Court in 2019. In the federal criminal justice system, the death penalty is usually reserved for cases that involve a substantial loss of life or a mass tragedy, such as terrorism or mass shootings. For instance, a person who is convicted of killing three or more people during a single incident could be eligible for the death penalty under federal law. Although the death penalty is a harsh punishment that has long been debated by moral and legal authorities, the federal criminal justice system still believes that it is a necessary tool in certain cases in order to protect the safety of the public. By reserving the death penalty for cases that involve the loss of multiple lives, the federal criminal justice system sends a clear message that these types of crimes will be taken seriously and severely punished.

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

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