The narrator discusses the concept of death row, a part of a prison that houses inmates awaiting the sentence of capital punishment for serious crimes. The narrator mentions that capital punishment is controversial, but it's still legal across the United States. The narrator also notes that not all countries have a death row, and the conditions and procedures vary widely depending on the country.
In the United States, there are 42 capital offenses that can lead to a death sentence. The narrator mentions a few examples, such as homicide and treason. However, the narrator also notes that the conditions for death row inmates can be harsh. For example, in Florida, death row inmates are kept in cells that are just 54 square feet in size. They are fed three meals a day, and the only cutlery they're allowed is a spork.
The narrator also discusses the conditions in other countries. For example, in Japan, death row cells are larger than most others, but they don't contain a bed. Inmates are fed a diet of rice, soup, and a small portion of meat or fish. They are allowed to bathe just three times a week during the hot summer months, and only two during the winter.
The narrator also mentions the conditions in India and Vietnam, which are described as particularly harsh. In India, prisoners are held in solitary confinement for most of the day, and conversation with any other inmates is strictly prohibited. In Vietnam, prisoners are held in solitary confinement and monitored around the clock.
The narrator also discusses the process of appeals and the time between sentencing and punishment. In the United States, prisoners can expect to wait an average of 22 years between sentencing and punishment. In China, the average time between sentencing and punishment is a harrowingly short 50 days.
The narrator also discusses the concept of last meals. In the United States, prisoners can order anything they want for their last meal, except for alcohol or tobacco products. The narrator also mentions that in some countries, prisoners are not allowed to order their last meal.
The narrator concludes by discussing the exceptions to capital punishment. For example, in the United States, intellectual disability is a factor that can lead to a lighter sentence. In Nigeria, pregnant women are exempt from the death penalty, but the sentence can go ahead after the birth of the child. In Vietnam, pregnant women and people over the age of 75 are exempt from the death penalty.
The narrator also mentions that in the United Arab Emirates, a convict on death row may be fully pardoned by the family of the victim, usually involving an agreed form of payment. The narrator concludes by mentioning a case from June 2021, where an Indian businessman on UAE's death row promised to pay the family of his victim 500,000 Emirati dirham, roughly $130,000, to pardon him for his crimes.
1. Death row is a part of a prison that houses inmates awaiting the sentence of capital punishment for serious crimes.
2. Capital punishment is a controversial issue, but it's still legal across the United States.
3. As of January 2021, 109 countries have abolished capital punishment entirely.
4. A further 28 countries are classed as abolitionist in practice, meaning they uphold capital punishment in law but haven't officially carried a sentence out in more than 10 years.
5. In the U.S., 24 states allow capital punishment, 23 don't, and three have moratoriums in place.
6. In the U.S., death row inmates are kept in cells just 54 square feet in size.
7. In Japan, death row cells are solitary and tiny, but they're bigger than most of the others we've seen.
8. In India, very little is known about the death row system, and rarely releases any official documents about the conditions its inmates are kept under.
9. In Vietnam, the laws require inmates to be held in solitary confinement and monitored around the clock.
10. In the U.S., prisoners can expect to wait an average of 22 years between sentencing and punishment.
11. In China, the average time between sentencing and punishment is a harrowingly short 50 days.
12. In the U.S., last meals are often served to inmates a few days before their date with destiny.
13. In Indonesia, last meal requests on death row generally aren't taken.
14. In Taiwan, a final meal of the prisoner's choice, such as traditional bento, is served with a bottle of Kaoliang liquor.
15. In the U.S., up till 2014, it was considered unconstitutional to issue someone with an IQ of 70 or under with a capital punishment.
16. In Nigeria, there's nothing in the rules about excusing those with intellectual disability, but they do draw the line at sentencing pregnant women.