Should the death penalty be considered cruel and unusual punishment? This was the question brought before the United States Supreme Court in 1972. Author D. J. Herda examines the ideas and arguments behind this landmark case. Presented in a lively, thought-provoking overview, Herda brings to life the people and events of this controversial decision and sheds light on the current controversy still raging across the country today.

"Adapted for young readers, this true story follows a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn't commit and how he transformed not only his own spirit, but those of his fellow inmates, until his release in 2015."--

Discusses various aspects of the debate over capital punishment, including its use as a deterrent to crime, discrimination and the death penalty, juveniles on death row, and the morality of this sentence.

Reviews opposing arguments regarding the death penalty, including whether or not it is just, deters murder, and is applied fairly.

Reviews the history and current status of the death penalty in the U.S., focusing on the legal and ethical issues of its use bythe criminal justice system.

Presents an overview of the history of capital punishment, theories on the causes of crime and the deterrent effects of punitive actions, and the moral and legal principles involved.