---
title: The Death Penalty and Mental Illness
description: Examine the profound effects of parental incarceration on families, children, and communities, and the necessity for policy reforms to address these challenges.
---

[The Business of Practice ](https://paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog)

# [The Death Penalty and Mental Illness](https://paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/death-penalty-and-mental-illness)

 Written by [Amanda Beltrani](https://paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/author/amanda-beltrani) | Nov 4, 2024 4:34:15 PM

According to the 2023 Gallup Poll, support for the death penalty in the United States has fallen to a 40-year low, with only 42% of Americans in favor—[the lowest since similar surveys began](https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/poll-for-the-first-time-more-americans-believe-the-death-penalty-is-applied-unfairly-in-the-united-states). Conversely, opposition has risen to 58%, the highest since March 1972, when the Supreme Court temporarily deemed the death penalty unconstitutional unless applied impartially.

This shift reflects broader societal concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the death penalty. Factors such as increased awareness of wrongful convictions, concerns over racial bias, and [growing advocacy against capital punishment have influenced public opinion](https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/npr-news/2023-12-01/executions-are-on-the-rise-in-the-u-s-even-as-public-support-wanes). The Supreme Court's 1972 decision marked the beginning of ongoing debates about the merits and drawbacks of capital punishment. 

[View full post](https://paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/death-penalty-and-mental-illness)

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