The primary objectives of this class are for students to:

1. Learn about the death penalty in the U.S.;
   

2. Develop an informed attitude toward capital punishment;
   

3. Engage in critical thinking by examining both sides of the capital punishment debate, and;
   

4. To discuss the issues related to capital punishment in an open forum.

The class is divided into two general sections. In the first part of the semester we will discuss the facts surrounding capital punishment, inclding its history, current practices, and the role of juries. The second part of the class is devoted to topics that are more controversial, including racial discrimination in capital sentencing, the deterrence debate, and the execution of people who are mentally retarded.

P416, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IUB criminal justice professor Marla Sandys, with glasses, and capital defense attorney Lorinda Youngcourt discuss with students the role of jurors in capital cases. Photo Tyagan Miller, IU Alumni Magazine.