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The Politics of the Death Penalty

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2009

Robert Y. Shapiro
Robert Y. Shapiro
Affiliation:
Columbia University
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Extract

This is one of the most interesting books I have read on the mass media, public opinion, and policymaking. Capital punishment is an important and compelling issue in its own right, which makes the first part of the book a great read, devoid of technical detail and filled with stunning descriptions of specific cases. Moreover, the rise and staying power of the idea of innocence—that innocent people sit on death row and may be executed—is clear. There continues to be a stream of news stories and commentaries about convicted murderers making plausible appeals for DNA tests that may set them free. While the overturning of murder convictions based in new evidence or faulty defenses preceded the use of DNA testing, this testing became important since it could confirm guilt or prove innocence.

Type
Review Symposium: The Politics of the Death Penalty
Information
Perspectives on Politics , Volume 7 , Issue 4 , December 2009 , pp. 923 - 924
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2009

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References

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