Capital punishment in the United States
In some areas, prosecutors ask for the death penalty, and judges grant the death penalty, more often than in other areas.  Also, once people are convicted and are on "death row," how quickly they are executed depends on the state they are in.  On average, in 2004, death penalty states had executed about 10% of the people on their "death rows."  However, California had executed only 1% of its prisoners who are sentenced to death.  Texas executed 40% of theirs.