As we approach World Day Against the Death Penalty 2025, the global conversation turns toward a powerful and urgent truth: “The Death Penalty Protects No One.” Despite decades of debate, data continues to dismantle the deeply rooted myth that capital punishment serves as a deterrent or enhances public safety. Yet, in the United States and many parts of the world, this outdated and harmful practice persists.
At Sustainable Action Now, we believe that human rights, justice, and compassion must lead our policies—not fear, vengeance, or misinformation. That’s why we stand in solidarity with advocates, experts, and organizations like Death Penalty Focus, who are working tirelessly to bring the facts to light and end the death penalty once and for all.
A Conversation That Matters: Dismantling the Myth of Deterrence
On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 12 p.m. Pacific / 3 p.m. Eastern, Death Penalty Focus will host a crucial webinar confronting the myth that the death penalty deters crime or makes communities safer.
This webinar, aligned with this year’s theme, “The Death Penalty Protects No One,” will feature a moderated discussion with nationally respected criminal justice experts who will present compelling, evidence-based arguments that dismantle this dangerous falsehood.
👉 Register now for this important webinar.
Meet the Panel: Leaders in the Fight for Justice
Mike Farrell – Moderator & DPF Board President
Best known for his humanitarian work and leadership, Mike Farrell serves as President of the Board of Death Penalty Focus. Beyond this role, he is a spokesperson for Concern America, co-chair emeritus of the California Committee of Human Rights Watch, and occasionally represents the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as a Goodwill Ambassador. Farrell brings decades of advocacy and deep moral clarity to the fight against the death penalty.
Robert Dunham – Death Penalty Policy Project Director
With unparalleled expertise in capital punishment policy, Robert Dunham is the Director of the Death Penalty Policy Project, Special Counsel at Phillips Black, and adjunct professor at Temple Law School. He has served as Executive Director of both the Death Penalty Information Center and the PA Capital Case Resource Center, and was previously a federal defender specializing in capital habeas litigation. Dunham’s data-driven approach underscores the systemic failures and racial biases baked into the use of the death penalty.
Chesa Boudin – Founding Executive Director, Criminal Law & Justice Center, UC Berkeley
As the former elected District Attorney of San Francisco (2020–2022), Chesa Boudin implemented sweeping reforms that challenged the status quo of punitive justice. From eliminating money bail and prosecuting police misconduct to suing gun manufacturers and expanding diversion programs, Boudin’s policies led to double-digit drops in both violent and nonviolent crime—while significantly reducing incarceration rates. Now, as Executive Director of Berkeley’s Criminal Law & Justice Center, Boudin continues to champion a vision of justice rooted in equity, safety, and evidence—not retribution.
The Truth About the Death Penalty: It Doesn’t Work
The death penalty has long been sold to the public as a deterrent—a way to prevent future crimes by showing the most severe consequences imaginable. But this narrative crumbles under scrutiny. Numerous studies across states and countries show no credible evidence that the death penalty is more effective at preventing crime than life imprisonment.
In fact, jurisdictions that have abolished the death penalty have seen no increase in violent crime—and in many cases, crime rates have decreased. The death penalty is not only ineffective; it is expensive, irreversible, and riddled with bias. Innocent people have been executed. Marginalized communities are disproportionately affected. And millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on a system that delivers neither justice nor safety.
The Human Cost: Injustice Is Not Justice
Beyond the statistics, the death penalty takes an immeasurable toll on individuals and families. For every person on death row, there is a story of trauma, failed systems, and lost potential. The mental and emotional agony endured by prisoners, their loved ones, and even those involved in executions—like correctional officers and medical staff—leaves lasting damage.
Worse still, the system is deeply flawed. Over 190 people in the U.S. have been exonerated after being wrongfully sentenced to death. How many more haven’t been as lucky? When the government has the power to take a life, even one mistake is too many.
What We Stand For: Real Safety, Real Solutions
If we truly want to make our communities safer, we must invest in proven solutions:
- Community-based crime prevention
- Mental health and addiction services
- Restorative justice practices
- Education and economic opportunity
- Rehabilitation, not retribution
Justice should be about healing, accountability, and transformation—not perpetuating cycles of violence through state-sanctioned killing.
Several news stories and recent developments reflect the concerns of conservatives regarding the death penalty, led by the organization Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty.
Developments in October 2025
- Texas execution blocked: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals once again paused the execution of Robert Roberson. The case has become a major issue for a bipartisan group of lawmakers who are pushing for a new trial, arguing against the “bloodlust for this execution”.
- Bipartisan effort in Texas: Last year, a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers tried to stop Roberson’s execution. That effort led to complex legal battles and resulted in a stay of execution. This shows a continuing effort among some Republicans to re-examine capital punishment.
Other recent news (2024–2025)
- Increased executions and jury verdicts: In a September 2025 op-ed, Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty Executive Director Demetrius Minor argued that the uptick in executions during 2025 does not reflect public sentiment. Instead, he highlighted recent jury verdicts that are at near-record lows for new death sentences, even in conservative states.
- Wrongful convictions: Minor pointed to innocence as a major issue for “pro-life conservatives” and suggested that the increased public awareness of wrongful convictions has led to a shift in attitude among jurors.
- Resistance to Trump’s death penalty push: In March 2025, an article by the Alabama Reflector highlighted that Donald Trump’s call for increased use of the death penalty was meeting resistance in some traditionally Republican states.
- Republican-led abolition efforts: The article noted that Republican lawmakers in Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, and Ohio had introduced bills to either abolish or limit the death penalty. It also mentioned a GOP-sponsored bill in Oklahoma that would pause pending executions.
- Long-standing conservative opposition: The Death Penalty Information Center reported in March 2025 on prominent conservatives who have spoken out against capital punishment. Figures like columnist Ramesh Ponnuru and conservative leader Richard Viguerie cite concerns related to faith and the fallibility of the government.
The movement’s core message
The national network, Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, continues to question whether capital punishment aligns with core conservative principles. Their arguments are often rooted in:
- Distrust of government: Concerns about government overreach and the risk of executing innocent people.
- Fiscal responsibility: The high costs of capital punishment compared to alternative sentences like life without parole.
- Pro-life principles: For some, a belief that the death penalty is inconsistent with valuing all human life.
Take Action Today
At Sustainable Action Now, we are committed to advocating for humane, sustainable justice systems that protect all lives—without exception. We invite you to be part of this movement and stand against the myth of deterrence and the cruelty of capital punishment.
👉 Visit our page to learn more about the death penalty and why it must end.
A More Just Tomorrow
The death penalty is a relic of a broken system—a system that too often punishes the poor, the marginalized, and the innocent. But there is a better way forward. With compassion, evidence, and courage, we can dismantle this failed policy and build a justice system that truly protects and serves everyone.
Join us. Raise your voice. Demand change.
Because the truth is clear: The Death Penalty Protects No One.
#SustainableActionNow #EndTheDeathPenalty #CriminalJusticeReform #WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty #HumanRights #CompassionateJustice #DeathPenaltyMyth #MikeFarrell #ChesaBoudin #RobertDunham
