This was a fine, succinct exploration of the challenges and flaws of the death penalty. Highly recommend for those on the fence or anyone trying to make the case for abolition.

1st edition, signed by author

A compassionate and logical book of essays about the death penalty, one which examines the issue from many, perhaps all, sides.

I disagree with the ultimate conclusion, but this is was fair and high-quality.

4 STARS

"A gripping examination of the case for and against capital punishment by a respected criminal lawyer and celebrated novelist. In the words of Harvard Law Professor, Laurence H. Tribe--"Ultimate Punishment is the ultimate statement about the death penalty: to read it is to understand why law alone cannot make us whole." (From Amazon)

I quite liked Turow's views on capital punishment and it makes you think of your own opinions.

Scott Turow was part of a committee appointed by then-Illinois governor George Ryan to examine capital punishment and how it can be improved, or if should be abolished altogether. Ultimate Punishment is Turow’s experience on this panel, which spent 2 years investigating capital punishment, coupled with his other experiences as a lawyer.

Luckily, Turow is not just another extremist advocating only one side. He approaches the issue by carefully examining the consequences of having a death penalty and the reasons for its existence. He seems to sympathize with the idea that governments should not be allowed to kill its citizens. However, he also recognizes that in extreme cases, like John Wayne Gacy or Henry Brisbon, capital punishment can be justified.

Turow’s most compelling points come from a legal standpoint. For one thing, there seems to be no relevancy between sentences. How can one man who committed grisly, pre-meditated murders get a life sentence when another man who shot a store clerk gets the death penalty? Additionally, the number of death sentences that have been overturned due to new evidence proving a convict’s innocence is quite astounding. Defendants on trial for their life have often been underrepresented or misrepresented by state appointed lawyers. In several cases, convictions were based on the testimony of only one eyewitness. In other cases, convictions were based on confessions that were given under torture by law enforcement.

Turow looks at the issue from different angles, and in each case reviews it with succinct analysis. Some readers may wish for more data or sociological analysis, and in that case this book may be more of a starting point for understanding this complex issue. As for myself, I felt that Turow presented the facts quite clearly, and his hesitation to land firmly on either side leads me to believe that he is a reasonable person. His years of research on the matter were quite interesting, and there is a lot to learn from his experience.

I listened to the audio book version, narrated by Scott Turow. My only complaint is that his voice is so flat and monotonous that it took a lot of concentration not to drift away while listening.

Mr. Turow was on the committee in Illinois that looked into the way the death penalty has been applied, to see if there should be a moratorium on it, as the governor has suggested after a large number of capitol cases were found, upon appeal, to have been in error (DNA proven in 50% of the cases). This brief book is the result. It is fair look at the system, from people on many sides of the argument, investigating everything from the financial costs to the racial makeup of the convictions, and it was an interesting look into democracy at work in one state in one arena, as doesn't happen often, but highlights one of the coolest things about this country - that everyone's opinion matters.

Interesting look on the problems of capital punishment in Illinois.

A very thought-provoking book on the death penalty. Turow is best known for his legal novels, but he is also an accomplished and well-respected lawyer. This book recounts his time on a commission in Illinois reviewing the death penalty both philosophically and in practical application. While it did not change my mind as far as supporting the death penalty in theory, it did enlighten me to flaws in the system that need to be corrected as we go forward.

Read this book if you haven't already made up your mind about the death penalty, or if you're pro-death penalty and willing to have your thoughts challenged. As an opponent of the death penalty, I wasn't particularly moved. Still, Turow's a great writer (if needlessly self-promoting) and I share many of his views. Plus, at 120 pages, it's a quick read.