American Roulette: The Social Logic of Death Penalty Sentencing Trials by Sarah

Description: FREE SHIPPING UK WIDE American Roulette by Sarah Beth Kaufman As the death penalty clings to life in many states and dies off in others, this first-of-its-kind ethnography takes readers inside capital trials across the United States. Sarah Beth Kaufman draws on years of ethnographic and documentary research, including hundreds of hours of courtroom observation in seven states, interviews with participants, and analyses of newspaper coverage to reveal how the American justice system decides who deserves the most extreme punishment. The "super due process" accorded capital sentencing by the United States Supreme Court is the systems best attempt at individuated sentencing. Resources not seen in most other parts of the criminal justice system, such as jurors and psychological experts, are required in capital trials, yet even these cannot create the conditions of morality or justice. Kaufman demonstrates that capital trials ultimately depend on performance and politics, resulting in the enactment of deep biases and utter capriciousness. American Roulette contends that the liberal, democratic ideals of criminal punishment cannot be enacted in the current criminal justice system, even under the most controlled circumstances. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Flap "A must-read for social justice lawyers and court practitioners of all types. Kaufman makes visible our collective performances in ways not discernible from the thick of the fight. This book has the potential to make real change."--Clive Stafford Smith, author of Injustice: Life and Death in the Courtrooms of America "Based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork, this book adds something that is not currently a big part of the literature on the death penalty: a feel for how it works and a glimpse into what a capital trial is like."--Frank R. Baumgartner, Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "This highly original, one-of-a-kind study describes, with an insiders grasp of detail, how prosecutors persuade jurors to do the unthinkable and sentence a person to death. Kaufmans analysis of the sentencing court drama, its performances and its politics, brings a new level of understanding to capital punishment scholarship."--David Garland, author of Peculiar Institution: The Death Penalty in the Age of Abolition Author Biography Sarah Beth Kaufman is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas. Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction PART I. THE SOCIAL LOGIC OF DEATH PENALTY CASES 1. Constructing Capital Homicide 2. Governing Capital Sentencing 3. The Capital Sentencing Field PART II. THE SOCIAL LOGIC OF DEATH PENALTY TRIALS 4. Performing Punitive Citizenship 5. Performing Mercy 6. Performing Danger 7. Mourners in the Court Conclusion Appendix A. Methodology Appendix B. Court Cases Cited Notes Bibliography Index Review "This important book, whose insights fill a gap in our understanding of the death penalty . . . will be of immense value not only to scholars and practitioners in the field, but to all potential punitive citizens." * Punishment & Society *"American Roulette is a very good book, smart, easy to read, and chock full of incisive ideas about the US death penalty in the twenty-first century." * Law & Society Review *"Kaufman offers a refreshing perspective that reveals novel insights and implications. A notable strength of the book is its appeal to a wide variety of audiences. It could be a required or supplement text for undergraduate or graduate courses, but it would also be digestible to a member of the public with an interest in the death penalty." * Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books * Review Quote "This important book, whose insights fill a gap in our understanding of the death penalty . . . will be of immense value not only to scholars and practitioners in the field, but to all potential punitive citizens." Details ISBN0520344391 Author Sarah Beth Kaufman Publisher University of California Press Year 2020 ISBN-10 0520344391 ISBN-13 9780520344396 Format Paperback Imprint University of California Press Subtitle The Social Logic of Death Penalty Sentencing Trials Place of Publication Berkerley Country of Publication United States DEWEY 345.730773 Pages 260 Short Title American Roulette Language English UK Release Date 2020-05-19 Publication Date 2020-05-19 AU Release Date 2020-05-19 NZ Release Date 2020-05-19 US Release Date 2020-05-19 Illustrations 9 b-w photographs, 6 b-w charts Audience Professional & Vocational We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! 30 DAY RETURN POLICY No questions asked, 30 day returns! FREE DELIVERY No matter where you are in the UK, delivery is free. 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