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The Penalty Is Death

state power, law, and justice
3.64 goodreads logo

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( 11 ratings, 2 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Penalty Is Death by Barry Jones provides an insightful exploration of the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of the death penalty, drawing on historical precedents and current practices. It examines international perspectives and offers an in-depth analysis of capital punishment's implications in contemporary society. The book encourages critical reflection on one of the most polarising issues in justice and legal systems worldwide.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might find this book intriguing if you're interested in exploring the complex ethical, legal, and social dimensions of capital punishment. It offers an in-depth analysis, making it a compelling read for those engaged in debates around justice and legal systems.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An updated edition of the classic study of capital punishment originally published 50 years ago, with a new introduction by Barry Jones.

The Penalty Is Death was first published in 1968, in the aftermath of the hanging of Ronald Ryan in Victoria - the last man executed in Australia. At the time, capital punishment had been abolished as the penalty for murder in only 30 nations, although there was a moratorium on its use in many more. In 2022, the number of abolitionist nations has risen to 108, and 54 more have longstanding moratoriums. The World Coalition against the Death Penalty reported the number of recorded executions in 2021 at 2,397, with about 2,000 in China.

Drawing on a wide range of historical and contemporary sources, The Penalty Is Death includes some of the most significant voices in the international history of debates about capital punishment from the eighteenth century to the present day. It contains an historical overview of the arguments for and against capital punishment; legal, political, and philosophical analysis and commentary; and firsthand accounts of the reality of executions and their aftermaths.

It features the views of great novelists such as Charles Dickens, Albert Camus, Arthur Koestler, and George Orwell; philosophers such as Max Charlesworth; legal scholars such as Cesare Beccaria; and rigid enforcers such as J Edgar Hoover. Barry Jones's important new introduction brings the story up to date, including the continuing use of the death penalty in the US.

'More than 50 years after its first publication, Jones' book is still a valuable resource for advocates against the death penalty across the world.'
-Matthew Coe, Hearsay

Praise for What Is To Be Done -

'Almost four decades ago, Barry Jones foretold the future with his seminal book, Sleepers, Wake! Now, he is back, with new energy and insights. For those wanting to understand the confounding age in which we live, What Is To Be Done is essential reading. I hope it will galvanise the many debates we need to have if we are to shape a better future.'
-Julia Gillard AC

Praise for What Is To Be Done -

'The author of this book is a genius. He irritates the hell out of people of all political loyalties. He reads virtually everything that matters. In these pages we, his readers, are the beneficiaries. Forty years after his masterpiece Sleepers, Wake! he tackles the challenges of a new age - the digital world, climate change, COVID-19, and widespread political disillusionment. If any author can offer us thoughtful directions for what is to be done, it is Barry Jones.'
-Michael Kirby AC CMG

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922585776

Publisher: Scribe Publications

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 August 2022

Country: Australia

Imprint: Scribe Publications

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 155.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 470g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Barry Jones was a Labor member of the Victorian and Commonwealth parliaments, led the campaign to abolish the death penalty, and became Australia's longest-serving minister for science from 1983 to 1990. His books include Sleepers, Wake!, A Thinking Reed, Dictionary of World Biography, The Shock of Recognition, and, most recently, What is to be Done- political engagement and saving the planet. He received a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's highest award, in 2014, and, at the age of 89, is a 'living national treasure'.

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