Capital Punishment

School Library Journal

Gr 7-10Many people believe that the death penalty deters crime. Others point out that statistics prove otherwise. Using constitutional cases and incorporating statistics, Gottfried addresses these and other issues showing how the Supreme Court has changed its mind over the years, in part reflecting public opinion. He points out that where one lives, even within the same state, affects whether one may be sentenced to life imprisonment or to die. A great deal of this information is available on the Internet through Amnesty International, the ACLU, etc. The black-and-white photos and reproductions are appropriate to the text. The most recent data included is from 1994. There is one error; Albert Sabo, the judge presiding over the Mumia Abu-Jamal case, is not retired.Jo-Anne Weinberg, Greenburgh Public Library, NY