Capital Punishment in the United States: A Documentary History (Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issues) [Hardcover]

Bryan Vila (Editor), Cynthia Morris (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313299420 | ISBN-13: 978-0313299421 | Publication Date: August 30, 1997

Both sides of the highly charged capital punishment debate in the United States are examined in this breakthrough collection of 112 key documents, arranged by historical period. The political and social aspects of the debate are represented through a wide range of documents, including congressional hearings, Supreme Court decisions, position papers, biographical accounts, and news stories. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to help readers understand how various and seemingly unrelated social, economic, and political factors have impacted public attitudes, legislation, and judicial decisions pertaining to capital punishment. Vila and Morris provide us with the historical and ecological framework in which this centuries-old debate has unfolded. This volume is organized into six parts, each one representing a different time period: Colonial Era to Independence, 1800-1917, 1918-1959, 1960-1976, 1977-1989, and the 1990s. The documents provided in each part trace the history and development of the debate, chronicling the ebb and flow of support for the death penalty during different periods in our country's history. Special attention is paid to the effects of particular events in history--the American Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights movement, for example--on the ever-changing opinions concerning capital punishment. The representation of both sides of the debate found in these documents will encourage and challenge students, policymakers, and concerned citizens to examine their own viewpoints and draw their own conclusions on the capital punishment debate.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Vila and Morris have created a highly readable and very timely compilation of some of the most important writings on capital punishment in the last 400 years. The debate will continue, and any criminal justice professional tasked with enforcing the laws of this country would be well-served to add this anthology to his or her professional library. Its insights and arguments are invaluable no matter which side one takes in the capital punishment debate.”–Corrections Today

“The volume provides an excellent overview of the debate on capital punishment and may well meet the documents needs of the general public and high school and college students, while providing a good starting place for more advanced researchers. This book is highly recommended for public, academic, and special libraries.”–American Reference Books Annual

About the Author

BRYAN VILA is Associate Professor in the Administration of Justice Program at the University of Wyoming.

CYNTHIA MORRIS is a freelance writer based in Irvine, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (August 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313299420
• ISBN-13: 978-0313299421
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #822,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HISTORICAL PERSECTIVE, April 10, 2001

By 

Cheryl Bertsch (Saipan, MP USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capital Punishment in the United States: A Documentary History (Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issues) (Hardcover)

This book by Vila and Morris provides a uniquely impartial look at capital punishment in the USA through the words of the people who have most influenced the evolution of the debate during the past 3.5 centuries; and the editors use excerpts from more than 100 original source documents to accomplish this mission. Instead of telling us what to believe, they help us to develop our own opinions by providing these excerpts covering a variety of perspectives, and desribing the political, social, and economic context in which the documents were recorded. We find that the volume is divided into six chapters - each covering a different era in the evolution of the death penalty debate. I found that there was a balanced selection of documents from a myriad of perspectives, and the materials were presented in a non-adversarial way. I enjoyed the book immensely. Who can use this book? First of all, political and human rights activists like myself, and of course, researchers, students, educators, speechwriters, members of the Criminal Justice System, prisoners, and concerned citizens. The book is well worth "a read" over several evenings, and will make us more aware of the highly charged issues dealing with capital punishment.