The Death Penalty
by Jean Alicia Elster

The death penalty — and the many issues and concerns that emanate from the topic — has been a part of the fiber of the American criminal justice system since colonial days. This volume explores the history of capital punishment in America from the 17th century to the present while covering such timely topics as cruel and unusual punishment, deterrence, race and gender discrimination, the morality of state-sanctioned killing, and protecting the innocent defendant.