Just Revenge: Costs and Consequences of the Death Penalty

by Mark Costanzo

A professor of social psychology explores the history of execution in America, weighing its social costs, discussing its potential benefits and problems, and building a new model for understanding the politics behind the death penalty.

Hardcover

First published October 15, 1997

Reviews

[Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book arguing for the abolition of this blemish in our Justice system. A little short on procedural matters but well argued. It does a good job debunking the usual arguments "in principle". It also brings Capital Punishment forth for what it is: expensive, useless, non-deterring and non remedial. It addresses all the usual questions regarding the victims, the mistakes, the unrepentant and the false moral balance. You measure a society not by how it treats its better citizens but by the way it treats its worst criminal. ( paraphrasing F. Dostoyevsky, he should have known.)

[Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book arguing for the abolition of this blemish in our Justice system. A little short on procedural matters but well argued. It does a good job debunking the usual arguments "in principle". It also brings Capital Punishment forth for what it is: expensive, useless, non-deterring and non remedial. It addresses all the usual questions regarding the victims, the mistakes, the unrepentant and the false moral balance. You measure a society not by how it treats its better citizens but by the way it treats its worst criminal. ( paraphrasing F. Dostoyevsky, he should have known.)

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm against the death penalty anyway, so I'm not sure whether this book could alter a supporter's views on it. However, the author does put forth strong evidence detailing the costs (both monetary and social) of the system of capital punishment. I would think such evidence would have to at least make one think about whether the benefits outweigh such costs.

[Tuân Đăng · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good,it's interesting