Executions in the United States, 1608-1991: The Espy File [Instructional Materials] (ICPSR 3465)

Version Date: Jan 2, 2003

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Principal Investigator(s):
James W. Oberly, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Department of History

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03465.v1

Version V1

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Summary

These instructional materials were prepared for use with EXECUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1608-1991: THE ESPY FILE (ICPSR 8451), compiled by M. Watt Espy and John Ortiz Smykla. The data file (an SPSS portable file) and accompanying documentation are provided to assist educators in instructing students about the history of capital punishment in the United States. An instructor's handout is also included. This handout contains the following sections, among others: (1) general goals for student analysis of quantitative datasets, (2) specific goals in studying this dataset, (3) suggested appropriate courses for use of the dataset, (4) tips for using the dataset, and (5) related secondary source readings. This dataset furnishes data on executions performed under civil authority in the United States between 1608 and April 24, 1991, and describes each individual executed and the circumstances surrounding the crime for which the person was convicted. Variables include age, race, name, sex, and occupation of the offender, place, jurisdiction, date, and method of execution, and the crime for which the offender was executed. Also recorded are data on whether the only evidence for the execution was official records indicating that an individual (executioner or slave owner) was compensated for an execution.

Citation

Oberly, James W. Executions in the United States, 1608-1991: The Espy File [Instructional Materials]. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2003-01-02. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03465.v1

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Funding

University of Wisconsin. Office of Professional and Instructional Development, United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

1608 -- 1991

Date of Collection

1989 -- 2002

Data Collection Notes

  1. This collection was archived by ICPSR to promote the use of social science data in undergraduate and graduate education through the sharing of faculty-submitted ICPSR data-based instructional materials developed for use in the classroom.

  2. These materials were designed for use with the dataset EXECUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1608-1991: THE ESPY FILE (ICPSR 8451).

  3. The data are provided as an SPSS portable file, which was created from the ASCII data and SPSS data definition statement files available from ICPSR 8451, 3rd edition.

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Universe

Executions that occurred under civil authority in the United States or within territory that later became part of the United States.

Data Source

state Department of Corrections records, newspapers, county histories, proceedings of state and local courts, holdings of historical societies, and other listings of executions

Data Type(s)

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Original Release Date

2003-01-02

Version History

2018-02-15 The citation of this study may have changed due to the new version control system that has been implemented. The previous citation was:
  • Oberly, James W. Executions in the United States, 1608-1991: The Espy File [Instructional Materials]. ICPSR03465-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2002. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03465.v1
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Notes