La pena di morte in America: Un'anomalia nell'era dell'abolizionismo

by David Garland

Per quanto dall’Europa ci appaia disumana e inefficace, espressione di una cultura puritana e punitiva, negli Stati Uniti la pena di morte non è un barbaro retaggio del passato. In questo studio approfondito e sorprendente, David Garland dimostra che, dove è rimasta in vigore, la pena capitale ha saputo trasformarsi seguendo i grandi cambiamenti culturali e politici della società americana. Nel tempo, si è passati dal pubblico rituale del linciaggio alla procedura asettica e discreta dell’iniezione letale, e dalle torture sul patibolo a una rigida codificazione giuridica, mentre le urla della folla inferocita nelle piazze hanno lasciato spazio agli appelli delle associazioni per i diritti delle vittime. Le corti federali hanno dunque razionalizzato e «civilizzato» la pena di morte, che però continua ad accompagnarsi a discriminazioni, ritardi e incertezze nelle esecuzioni, oltre che a interminabili dibattiti e agguerrite campagne popolari. E la questione della pena capitale, soggetta com’è alle leggi dei singoli stati, si presta alle manipolazioni della politica locale, fornendo ai populisti un’arma impropria per la ricerca del consenso. Eppure questo «istituto peculiare», la cui efficacia deterrente e retributiva sembra ormai smentita dai fatti, assolve funzioni per nulla trascurabili nella vita pubblica statunitense. Offre ai media racconti drammatici e agghiaccianti, e per i cittadini costituisce, di volta in volta, un veicolo per l’indignazione morale, un intrattenimento solleticante o un’opportunità per esprimere forme aggressive altrimenti proibite, sfatando così il tabù della morte nel discorso pubblico. La pena di morte in America ripercorre le continuità e le discontinuità storiche di un istituto che rappresenta un unicum nei sistemi penali occidentali, mettendone in luce le implicazioni di tipo culturale, emotivo e simbolico: la radicatissima tradizione americana di federalismo e democrazia locale – ma in molti stati anche di violenza e razzismo –, la mitizzazione della volontà popolare, il fascino paradossale delle esecuzioni, che esorcizzano la repulsione e l’ansia della morte illudendo i cittadini di poterla controllare. Ne nasce una teoria «scientifica» della pena capitale statunitense che, senza cedere alla tentazione del giudizio etico e della presa di posizione polemica, sfida sia le convinzioni dei sostenitori, sia quelle degli abolizionisti.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Sociology, American History, Philosophy, Social Justice

626 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Pseudonym of Keith Miles

Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theater. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book.

The protagonist of the theater series is Nicholas Bracewell, the bookholder of a leading Elizabethan theater company (in an alternate non-Shakespearean universe).

The latter series' two protagonists are the Norman soldier Ralph Delchard and the former novitiate turned lawyer Gervase Bret, who is half Norman and half Saxon.

His latest series of novels are based in early Victorian period and revolve around the fictional railway detective Inspector Robert Colbeck.

Reviews

[Kenneth Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins with the history of the death penalty and how it evolved. One of its first uses was in the formation of states into nations and the elimination of rivals. The author details how the executions was a public spectacle. The death penalty was then used as criminal punishment for a myriad of offenses.
The book then deals with why capital punishment was abolished in most western countries and not the United States. The book then covers the changes in the way Americans view the death penalty and the fight to either abolish its use or to keep it use.
The author traces the history of the death penalty in the decisions of the Supreme Court and how they have tried to regulate the use of the death penalty but not abolish it.
I found it curious that the death penalty is outlawed in both the charters of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, both of which we belong, but we continue to use the death penalty.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sembra un libro per studiare

[Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last book for SOC222, I thought it was pretty interesring

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The American death penalty. Why does it exist? Why does it persist? How has it persisted in the face of almost ubiquitous Western-world abolition? Despite a 1970's abolition by the Supreme Court, how and why was the institution revived? What purposes does the death penalty serve and for whom?

All questions raised and addressed by Garland in exploring the 'Peculiar Institution' of capital punishment.

In describing the history of capital punishment worldwide, Garland shows that for the majority of history, America followed a path of abolition similar to the rest of the world. Yet, marked internal differences exist within the American populace. In turn, these differences, along with America's unique political system and historical state formation, have produced a system of capital punishment that is unique American: hyper localized, seemingly democratic, bureaucratized, sterilized, humanized and rationalized.

Furthermore, it is shown that the death penalty now serves not so much as a means of criminal punishment as it does for the political exchange of power and cultural consumption of events. It has gone from a punitive measure to a tool for politicians and the media to leverage for their benefit. Obscured in all these practices is that at the end of the day, it is still a life that is taken. And for what gain?

[Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for students taking English Honors this year. Gives some new insight into our "peculiar institution" of the death penalty. Why do we have something that strikes criminals as often as lightning and is implemented only for its "deterrence" according to former president George W. Bush. The third chapter is dry. Skip over theory sections if they become too much. Probably the most important message about the institution is that it is odd that we persist in having an institution that made sense before the Civil War. Didn't we fight that one?

[The Book : An Online Review at The New Republic]

IN THE 1950s AND 1960s, politicians and public officials in the United States generally did not view opposition to the death penalty as a major political liability. Indeed some of them were outspoken foes of capital punishment. To demonstrate his faith in rehabilitation, Michael Disalle, Ohio’s governor from 1959 to 1963, made it a point to hire convicted murderers to serve on his household staff.Read more...

[Massimo Monteverdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Occhio per occhio, dente per dente. Hai voglia a spiegare con dettaglio maniacale e vigore accademico perché 35 stati USA su 50 mantengono la pena capitale. Qualsiasi analisi politica, istituzionale, storica, culturale arretra di fronte all'evidenza empirica: la confederazione nacque sulla violenza e ad essa si continua a ricorrere per fare giustizia. È semplicistico forse, ma almeno non ipocrita.

[Mikaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit repetitive at points, but a thought-provoking meditation on the death penalty in the modern Western world. I ended up with 11 pages of notes--definitely a measure of a worthwhile read.

[Andrew Welsh-Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why is America alone among Western nations in retaining the death penalty? The answer's not as simple as you think. This book explains why in fascinating detail.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on "Thinking Allowed".

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real bear of a book, dense and fairly academic, but also pretty thought-provoking. If you're interested in the topic, this is an important addition to the literature.