The times they are a-changin'

Come gather 'round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters 

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You'll be drenched to the bone

If your time is worth savin'

Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin'

Bob Dylan "The Times They Are A-Changin'"

As of 2009 Harris County is no longer the death capital of the United States. That distinction has passed on to Los Angeles County who sent more people to death row last year (13) than the entire State of Texas.

The national trend is a reduction in the number of persons sentenced to death. This past year saw the fewest death sentences (106) since state-sponsored murder came back from the dead in 1976. Whether this be because of concerns of executing innocent people or due to the costs associated with carrying out the death penalty is ripe for debate.