Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide

The mission of the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide is to bridge critical gaps in advocacy around the death penalty through research, litigation, and training. The Center publishes reports and manuals on issues of practical relevance to defense lawyers, governments, courts, and organizations grappling with questions relating to the application of the death penalty. Its online database provides comprehensive, current, and transparent data on the death penalty laws and practices of all countries and territories that retain the death penalty. Drawing upon the human rights violations highlighted by its research, the Center engages in targeted advocacy focusing on the implementation of fair trial standards and the rights of those who come into conflict with the law, including juveniles, women, and individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses. Finally, it provides training through the Makwanyane Institute to a cadre of competitively-chosen Fellows, who undergo specialized death penalty defense training and contribute to building a global network of capital defenders.