Women and Capital Punishment in the United States - by David V Baker (Paperback)

About the Book

The history of the execution of women in the United States has largely been ignored and scholars have given scant attention to gender issues in capital punishment. This historical analysis examines the social, political and economic contexts in which the justice system has put women to death, revealing a pattern of patriarchal domination and female subordination.
The book includes a discussion of condemned women granted executive clemency and judicial commutations, an inquiry into women falsely convicted in potentially capital cases and a profile of the current female death row population.

Book Synopsis

The history of the execution of women in the United States has largely been ignored and scholars have given scant attention to gender issues in capital punishment. This historical analysis examines the social, political and economic contexts in which the justice system has put women to death, revealing a pattern of patriarchal domination and female subordination.

The book includes a discussion of condemned women granted executive clemency and judicial commutations, an inquiry into women falsely convicted in potentially capital cases and a profile of the current female death row population.

Review Quotes

"this comprehensive and compelling text covers all aspects of women and capital punishment...a well-written and fascinating book. What is remarkable is the amount of research and time that went into collecting the enormous amount of information...essential"-Choice.

About the Author

David V. Baker is a lecturer in sociology and criminology at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. He holds a doctorate in sociology and a law degree. He has received National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships to study American slavery at the University of California at Irvine, and immigration policy at the University of California at Los Angeles and is deputy editor of the journal Criminal Justice Studies.