Capital Punishment

The death penalty is the ultimate denial of civil liberties. Since 1973, more than 138 inmates were found to be innocent and released from death row. The ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri is fighting for the end of the death penalty by supporting a moratorium and repeal movements through public education and advocacy. We are engaged in systematic reform of the death penalty process and case-specific litigation highlighting some of its fundamental flaws. The ACLU also works closely with partner organizations to promote the abolition of the death penalty.

The ACLU argues that the death penalty should be replaced with the more effective alternative of permanent imprisonment. The systematic injustices that plague the system disproportionally affect people of color, who are far more likely to be executed than white people, especially if the victim in an alleged crime it white. And with state budgets being cut across the country, Missouri and Kansas stand to save millions of dollars annually by replacing the death penalty with permanent imprisonment.