Founded in 2013 after the staggering number of executions all over the world that year, The Peterson Group is committed to the abolition of the death penalty through public education with the advocacy of investigating death penalty conducted in different countries around the world. We believe that the death penalty is an ineffective, cruel, and simplistic response to the serious and complex problem of violent crime. It institutionalizes discrimination against the poor and people of color, diverts attention and financial resources away from preventative measures that would actually increase public safety, risks the execution of innocent people, and does not deter crime. The Peterson Group has over a thousand members, supporters and watchdogs scattered all over Asia, America and Europe.