Title
Jurors' Stories of Death: How America's Death Penalty Invests in Inequality (Law, Meaning, And Violence),Used
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What is most extraordinary about Ben FleurySteiner's book is that it seeks to shed light on the 'black box' of capital jury deliberations. Based on a remarkable social science survey of persons who served on capital juries, this volume illuminates the workings of the most closely guarded secret in the criminal justice system.'David Cole, from the Foreword'Perhaps the most powerful, routinely enacted civic ritual in American public life is that of capital punishment. This statesanctioned extirpation of human life in the collective pursuit of justice is a searing act of civic pedagogy, made legitimate only by the deliberative endorsement of a small group of ordinary citizensthe jury. In Jurors' Stories of Death, Benjamin FleurySteiner has taken a cold, hard look at how these ordinary citizens come to terms with their extraordinary role, and how they rationalize their irreversible decisions. The result is a chilling portrait of how wethat is, all of us Americansconstitute ourselves as a political community.'Glenn Loury, Director, Institute on Race and Social Division'This illuminating and insightful examination of jury deliberations makes a terrific contribution to the study of capital punishment. FleurySteiner's synthesis of sociological, legal and theoretical concepts with vivid juror narratives and statistical data, thoughtfully animates and details how race and class consciousness continue to shape America's death penalty.'Bryan Stevenson, Professor of Clinical Law, NYU School of Law, Executive Director, Equal Justice Initiative of AlabamaJurors' Stories of Death is more than just another book on the death penalty; it is the first systematic survey of how death penalty decisions are made.Benjamin FleurySteiner draws on reallife accounts of white and black jurors in capital punishment trials to discuss the effect of race on the sentencing process. He finds that race is invariably a factor in sentencing, with jurors relying on accounts that deny the often marginalized defendants their individuality and complexity, while reinforcing the jurors' own identities as superior, moral, and lawabiding citizensa system that punishes in the name of dominance. This biased story of 'us versus them' continues to infuse political rhetoric on crime and punishment in the United States even today.Jurors' Stories of Death concludes with an original argument for abolition of the death penalty: If America values multiculturalism and cultural diversity, it must do away with institutions such as statesanctioned capital punishment in order to begin to free itself from the racism and classicism that so insidiously plague social relations today.
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- Q: What is the main topic of 'Jurors' Stories of Death'? A: 'Jurors' Stories of Death' explores how race and class influence capital jury deliberations and the decisions made regarding the death penalty in the United States.
- Q: Who is the author of the book? A: The book is authored by Benjamin Fleury-Steiner, who provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of race on sentencing in capital punishment cases.
- Q: What type of research does this book utilize? A: The book is based on a social science survey of individuals who served on capital juries, combining statistical data with real-life juror narratives.
- Q: How many pages is the book? A: 'Jurors' Stories of Death' consists of 224 pages.
- Q: What is the publication date of the book? A: The book was published on June 30, 2004.
- Q: What is the binding type of this book? A: 'Jurors' Stories of Death' is available in paperback binding.
- Q: Does the book provide insights into jury deliberations? A: Yes, the book offers an illuminating examination of jury deliberations, shedding light on the often secretive processes involved in capital punishment cases.
- Q: Is this book a first edition? A: Yes, 'Jurors' Stories of Death' is a first edition.
- Q: What category does this book fall under? A: The book is categorized under 'Criminal Procedure'.
- Q: What are the key themes discussed in the book? A: Key themes include the role of race and class in capital punishment, juror decision-making processes, and a critique of the death penalty as an institution.