The death penalty has fallen out of favor in the United States. Last year, just 28 prisoners were executed nationwide, continuing a six-year decline. That was the lowest number in nearly a quarter-century. The number of death sentences is also down significantly.

The political tide seems to be turning against the death penalty. Whereas it used to be invoked regularly by candidates as proof that they were tough on crime, today it is largely ignored on the campaign trail (although not by Donald Trump). It’s no wonder why. According to Gallup, public support for the death penalty has dropped over the last two decades, from 80 percent to 61 percent, while opposition has risen from 16 percent to 37 percent.