This carefully crafted primer on the history and present state of capital punishment in the United States examines cultural, political, and legal factors and developments, as well as key figures, groups, and movements, by consolidating a wide variety of material into a single, convenient source.

Utilizing a rich and varied array of scholarship and primary sources, this work examines historical, political, cultural, and legal factors and developments that have shaped the contours of capital punishment throughout American history. It examines key figures and organizations who have played pivotal roles in debates over the death penalty; provides readers with illuminating coverage of laws, cases, and the people involved; discusses the experiences of death row inmates; and explores questions and controversies revolving around the socioeconomic factors that influence the use of capital punishment. And it does so in an accessible, reader-friendly, and balanced fashion.

Features

• Chronology of events related to capital punishment in America
• Glossary of relevant terms related to the death penalty and the justice system
• Primary documents that illuminate the legal and philosophical underpinnings of both pro- and anti-capital punishment positions
• Annotated bibliography of resources for further study