GEOGRAPHY AND EXECUTION
By Stephen Hatfield, Satndley Lake H.S., Colorado Geographic Alliance, 1991

OVERVIEW:

Understanding citizen rights and responsibilities requires an awareness of geographic patterns and an examination of cultural; values expressed by those patterns. This lesson is a study of legal disparity, which is a consequence of independent jurisdictions within this country. Students plot data, observe cultural patterns, and inquire into the process of legal executions and the resulting geographic disparity.

CONNECTIONS WITH THE CURRICULUM:

Geography, History, Civics, Current Events.

TEACHING LEVEL: 9-12

CONNECTIONS TO OREGON CONTENT STANDARDS:

Read, interpret, and make maps, charts, and graphs to understand spatial and geographic relationships.
Apply geographic skills and concepts to interpret historical and contemporary events and issues.

CONNECTIONS TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS:

Geography Standard 1: Maps, globes, and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies;

Geography Standard 18: How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future

MATERIALS:

Activity Sheet
US maps
Star stickers
Red markers

PROCEDURE:

    1. Pass out data table: The Death Penalty in the US in 1991.
    2. Ask students to skim the article, check out favorite states.
    3. Pass out maps, stickers, and markers
    4. Detach activity sheet along dotted line. Pass out top portion of activity sheet, which requires students to plot data and stars per instructions in Steps 1-4 and analysis in Steps 5-7
    5. Ask students to observe their own map and identify any patterns and the characteristics of such patterns (step 5). Note: Steps 5-7 will require an additional sheet of paper for written responses.
    6. Ask students to list any factors that might explain the geographic disparity (step 6).
    7. Discuss the speculations raised by students.
    8. Entertain related questions and comment on other data that could be plotted to indicate additional legal disparity patterns with inquiry into the processes that account for such patterns (step 7).
    9. Hand out bottom portion of activity sheet and complete further activities.
      10.
    10. Have students brainstorm to continue lists in steps 8-9. Topics listed in Step 9 reflect legal disparity with resulting geographic patterns that again stimulate inquiry into the processes that explain patterns.

Data Table: The Death Penalty in the U.S., 1991

 

State

 

Population

(Million)

Number of

Inmates on

Death Row

 

Number

Since ‘77

 

Executed

 

Method of

Execution

Alabama

4.2

111

7

Electrocution
Alaska

0.5

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A
Arizona

3.8

85

0

Gas Chamber
Arkansas

2.5

34

0

Lethal Injection
California

30

279

0

Gas Chamber
Colorado

3.5

2

0

Lethal Injection
Connecticut

3.3

2

0

Electrocution
Delaware

0.7

7

0

Lethal Injection
Florida

13

308

22

Electrocution
Georgia

6.8

102

14

Electrocution
Hawaii

1.2

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A
Idaho

1

19

0

Lethal Injection
Illinois

11.6

129

0

Lethal Injection
Indiana

5.5

53

2

Electrocution
Iowa

2.7

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A
Kansas

2.5

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A
Kentucky

3.7

26

0

Electrocution
Louisiana

4.5

32

19

Electrocution
Maine

1.2

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A
Maryland

4.8

17

0

Gas Chamber
Massachusetts

5.9

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

Michigan

9.3

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

Minnesota

4.3

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

Mississippi

2.7

41

4

Lethal Injection
Missouri

5.2

71

4

Lethal Injection
Montana

0.8

6

0

Lethal Injection/Hanging
Nebraska

1.6

12

0

Electrocution
Nevada

1.1

54

4

Lethal Injection
New Hampshire

1.1

0

0

Lethal Injection
New Jersey

8

17

0

Lethal Injection
New Mexico

1.7

2

0

Lethal Injection
New York

17.8

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

North Carolina

6.8

89

3

Gas Chamber/Injection
North Dakota

0.7

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

Ohio

10.8

96

0

Electrocution
Oklahoma

3.3

112

0

Lethal Injection
Oregon

2.8

23

0

Lethal Injection
Pennsylvania

11.8

120

0

Electrocution
Rhode Island

1

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

South Carolina

3.6

46

3

Electrocution
South Dakota

0.7

0

0

Lethal Injection
Tennessee

5

74

0

Electrocution
Texas

18

312

35

Lethal Injection
Utah

1.8

9

3

Firing Squad/Injection
Vermont

0.6

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A
Virginia

6.2

44

8

Electrocution
Washington

4.7

8

0

Hanging/Injection
West Virginia

1.8

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

Wisconsin

4.8

No Death Penalty

N/A

N/A

Wyoming

0.5

2

0

Lethal Injection

Adapted from the following sources: Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991. Statistical Abstract of the U.S Information obtained from various publications, including the U.S. Bureau of Justice, 1991. Capital Punishment, Colorado Geographic Alliance News 5

Questions
  1. Read the data table: The Death Penalty in the U.S., 1991.
  2. On your map, write in the names of all states that currently have a death penalty [36].
  3. Write the number that reflects inmates awaiting death in each state, then above that number write the number of persons who have been executed in the state: ex. Alabama- 7/111.
  4. Place a star in each state that has executed a person since 1977 [13].
  5. Identify any geographic patterns observed and list them.
  6. What other factors, if plotted on a death penalty map, might show correlation with death penalty and execution?
  7. List other legal issues that could be plotted on a map and have patterns of geographic disparity.
  8. What other factors, if plotted on the death penalty map, might show correlation with death penalty and execution? Would these correlations suggest any processes that explain the patterns?
Education
Crime Rate
Unemployment
Race
Religion
Income
Age
Political Party
History
Ethnicity
  1. What other legal issues might show geographic disparity?

Suggestions for continued study and research:

  1. Abortion
  2. Divorce and Family Law
  3. Drugs and Alcohol
  4. Gun Control
  5. Gambling
  6. Age of Majority (Contracts, Marriage, Crime)
  7. State Taxes
  8. Driver’s License
  9. Speed Limits
  10. Smoking

Source note:

Information regarding the death penalty can be found in numerous sources. Two sources are particularly helpful:

  1. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991. Statistical Abstract of the United States. The Dept. of Commerce obtains information from various publications including the U.S. Bureau of Justice, 1991. Capital Punishment.
  2. Guide to Legal Periodicals. Other general popular sources such as Newsweek, Time and various almanacs can provide not only recent data but interesting biographical information about death penalty inmates and their crime victims. Colorado Geographic Alliance News 6.