Review of Juvenile Executions in America

Author:	Hale, Robert
Year:	1997
Pages:	160
ISBN:	0-7734-8547-3 978-0-7734-8547-1
Price:	$139.95

The review begins in 1642, when the first juvenile was executed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and culminates in 1957, with the last (to date) execution. A total of 331 juveniles are included in the study. A socio-historical analysis of specific periods in history provides an explanation for the type of juvenile that was executed during the period. Characteristics of interests are the juvenile's age, race, and gender, in addition to the total number of juveniles executed during the given period. The social, political, and legal atmospheres of the era are reviewed to determine what, if any, effect these had on influencing the administration of capital punishment. Particular attention is given to the fifty years immediately following the Civil War, as juvenile executions reached unprecedented high numbers.

Reviews

"There is no other academic work that explores executions in America as it has been carried out against juvenile offenders. Because of this, Dr. Hale's work stands as the seminal text for this area. . . . He has included sections concerning the age, race, and gender of the offender in his quest to explain disparity, and these sections make the book both interesting and informative. . . . Dr. Hale has done an excellent job of blending case study with statistics. As a professor specializing in juvenile justice, I plan to add this text to my collection." - Don Scott

"The literature on capital punishment has been begging for this book. It fills a real void in what we know about capital punishment. . . . Dr. Hale has produced a scholarly study that will not only stand the test of time, but will serve as a benchmark for future research in this area." - D. Mark Austin