A new program in the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas, allows death row prisoners to mingle outside of solitary confinement.

The program allows the selected prisoners to spend several hours a day outside their cells and allows them to enjoy communal meals, TV time, prayer circles and - for the first time in decades - direct

The US has carried out 25 executions this year, with 60% concentrated in Florida, Texas, and South Carolina, while new death sentences have dropped to near historic lows, reflecting a disconnect between political decisions and public sentiment.