Capital Punishment : A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues) (2ND)

This revised edition of a perennial bestseller, with more than 50 percent new material, is a much-needed overview of a hotly debated topic. Capital Punishment focuses on the use of the death penalty in the United States, its international status, and how foreign developments affect the country. It includes a history, a discussion of the controversies surrounding the death penalty, updated biographical sketches, and statistics. Key documents include the U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming capital punishment, a key dissent, Charles Dickens' 19th century view of the guillotine, and various papal and European Union decrees. It also includes a chronology, organizations, websites with further information, and an annotated bibliography. In this updated survey, a thorough overview of capital punishment, author Michael Kronenwetter reveals interesting facts, for example, under Roman law, death was the penalty for publishing "insulting songs" and disturbing the city's peace.