ABSTRACT

The death penalty has inspired controversy for centuries. Raising questions regarding capital punishment rather than answering them, Questioning Capital Punishment offers the footing needed to allow for more informed consideration and analysis of these controversies. Acker edits judicial decisions that have addressed constitutional challenges to capital punishment and its administration in the United States and uses complementary materials to offer historical, empirical, and normative perspectives about death penalty policies and practices. This book is ideal for upper-level undergraduate and graduate classes in criminal justice.

part |96 pages

The Death Penalty's Justifications

chapter |28 pages

Retribution (Just Deserts)

chapter |30 pages

Deterrence

part |168 pages

Deciding Who Dies

chapter |50 pages

Capital Punishment for Murder

Sentencing Criteria and Procedures

chapter |48 pages

Proportionality

Offenses and Offenders

chapter |28 pages

The New Death-Penalty Laws in Application

Race Discrimination and Arbitrariness

chapter |40 pages

Defense Attorneys and Capital Jurors

part |95 pages

Post-Conviction

chapter |46 pages

Capital Errors

Procedural Issues and Actual Innocence

chapter |48 pages

The Final Stages

Death Row, Clemency, and Execution