Death row is a prison area for those sentenced to death, often in solitary confinement. Some countries keep prisoners in the general population. Appeals can delay execution for decades. Japan has a unique approach. Abolitionist movements argue it is inhumane and can lead to mental illness.
Death row is a prison facility or area of a prison where people sentenced to death are held pending execution. In countries that practice the death penalty, not all have such a structure; some keep their prisoners in the general population or in a generic area of a prison. Security on death row is usually very tight, and detained prisoners are subject to special rules.
If someone is convicted of a crime and sentenced to death, they will be transferred to a facility that has a death row or space where death row inmates can be housed safely. Prisoners in this area are usually held in solitary confinement in small cells and are only admitted for periodic drills and supervised visits. Death row facilities also have chambers so prisoners can meet privately with their lawyers.
Death rows also typically have a death guard chamber. When an execution is imminent, the prisoner is transferred to this chamber so that he can be closely monitored. This slightly more spacious room also offers space to meet with a religious officiant and other visitors. The prisoner may be allowed one last meal of his choice.
In many legal systems, prisoners have the right to appeal. The number of appeals allowed varies according to the legal system and the nature of the offence. In some cases, prisoners may wait on death row for decades as they face a series of appeals; in fact, it is not uncommon for those sentenced to death to die of natural causes. In other cases, execution occurs quickly after conviction.
Japan has a somewhat unique approach to the death penalty. Prisoners are held in extreme solitary confinement and are technically not considered prisoners, which allows the government to hold them in a specialized facility. They are not notified in advance of performance dates and visitors are rarely allowed.
Many nations have abolitionist movements pushing to end the death penalty, arguing it is an inhumane form of punishment. Such movements also point out that conditions on death row can be grim and constitute cruel and unusual punishment even before the prisoner’s execution takes place. The lonely lives led by death row prisoners, combined with limited access to entertainment and enrichment, can contribute to the development of mental illness and distress. While advocates of penal reform do not dispute that people convicted of crimes should be punished for them, they argue that the death penalty is not an appropriate punishment.
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