A study by the Fair Punishment Project (an initiative of Harvard Law School) of death row inmates in Oregon shows two-thirds of death row inmates possess signs of serious mental illness or intellectual impairment, endured devastatingly severe childhood trauma, or were not old enough to legally purchase alcohol at the time the offense occurred.

The study of the 35 inmates in Oregon was based on  legal pleadings and opinions, trial testimony, media reports, and interviews with legal experts in Oregon  familiar with the individuals on death row.