The arbitrary application of the death penalty can never be ruled out. The death penalty is often used in a disproportional manner against the poor, minorities and members of racial, ethnic, political and religious groups. Race plays a role in determining who lives and who dies. The race of the victim and the race of the defendant in capital cases are major factors in determining who is sentenced to die in this country. In 1990 a report from the General Accounting Office concluded that "in 82 percent of the studies [reviewed], race of the victim was found to influence the likelihood of being charged with capital murder or receiving the death penalty.