Death Row Inmates: A Comparison of Georgia and Florida Profiles

Abstract

A study of inmates on death row in Georgia in 1983 was conducted and compared to a comparable examination carried out in Florida in 1977. The two populations were found to be strikingly similar, and they were demograph ically similar to death-row inmates in other states in 1983. National statistics on death-row prisoners show little demographic change since 1977. A profile of Georgia's 101 death-row inmates was derived from prison files and personal interviews. It portrays a group of young, undereducated, unskilled, underemployed, economically de prived, working class, recidivist offenders. Though unremorseful and burdened with unrealistic and defensive con ceptualizations about their homicide acts, these offenders did not appear to be mentally disturbed. They were of average intelligence, educable, optimistic about the future, and keenly interested in self-improvement programs. A typology was also constructed and shows that less than 30% were considered dangerous offenders at the time of the study. Finally, the results point to several implications regarding research on death-row inmates.