The Death Penalty: A Debate

by John Conrad, John P. Conrad, Ernest Van den Haag

Book Overview

From 1965 until 1980, there was a virtual moratorium on executions for capital offenses in the United States. This was due primarily to protracted legal proceedings challenging the death penalty on constitutional grounds. After much Sturm und Drang, the Supreme Court of the United States, by a divided vote, finally decided that "the death penalty does not invariably violate the Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause of the Eighth Amendment." The Court's decisions, however, do not moot the controversy about the death penalty or render this excellent book irrelevant. The ball is now in the court of the Legislature and the Executive. Leg- islatures, federal and state, can impose or abolish the death penalty, within the guidelines prescribed by the Supreme Court. A Chief Executive can commute a death sentence. And even the Supreme Court can change its mind, as it has done on many occasions and did, with respect to various aspects of the death penalty itself, durlog the moratorium period. Also, the people can change their minds. Some time ago, a majority, according to reliable polls, favored abolition. Today, a substantial majority favors imposition of the death penalty. The pendulum can swing again, as it has done in the past.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306414163
• ISBN13: 9780306414169
• Release Date: January 1983
• Publisher: Springer
• Length: 305 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.9" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Excellent introductory book

"The Death Penalty : A Debate" is an excellent introduction to the topic for two primary reasons. First, it presents the two main opposing view points argued well by experts on the subject, so regardless of your own position you need not fear that the book is biased. Second, it covers the subject thoroughly, addressing each issue individually, and relying on facts to support claims. This means, after reading this book, you'll have plenty of ammunition the next time you want to argue the subject with someone esle.