Women and Capital Punishment in the United States: An Analytical History

by David V. Baker

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786499502
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	12/07/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

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.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction delete
Organization
Part I. Theoretical and Empirical Frameworks
1. Theoretical Frameworks delete 6
Chivalry Theory
Evil Woman Theory
Equality Theory
A Critical Perspective
Capital Justice and the U.S. Supreme Court
Capital Justice and Women in the Modern Era
Concluding Remarks
2. Empirical Frameworks
Data
Characteristics
Historical Contours
Concluding Remarks
Part II. Historical Context
3. The First Historical Trend, 1630s–1750s
Executions of White Women
Executions of Black Women delete83 delete
Executions of American Indian Women
Concluding Remarks
4. The Second Historical Trend, 1760s–1890s
Executions of White Women
Executions of Black Women
Executions of Mexican Women
Executions of American Indian Women
Execution of a Native Hawaiian Female
Correcting the Historical Record
Concluding Remarks delete132 delete
5. The Third Historical Trend, 1900s–2010s  134
Executions of White Women
Executions of Black Women
Execution of an American Indian Woman
Correcting the Historical Record
Contrasting Lynchings and Executions
Concluding Remarks
Part III. Wrongful Convictions, Judicial Commutations, Executive Clemency and Women on Death Row Today
6. Wrongful Convictions in Potentially Capital Cases  174
Data
Factors Contributing to False Convictions
Predatory Murder
Spousal Murder
Child Murder
Shaken Baby Syndrome
Medical Neglect Cases Motivated by Religion
Manslaughter
Concluding Remarks
7. Judicial Reversals of Capital Convictions  229
Early Cases of Judicial Reversals
Judicial Reversals Post-Furman
Concluding Remarks
8. Executive Clemency of Condemned Women  290
Clemency and Gender
Women on Death Row Granted Clemency
Clemency in the 18th Century
Clemency in the 19th Century
Clemency in the 20th Century
Concluding Remarks
9. The Female Death Row Population  335
Institutional Indifference delete337
Women Foreign Nationals delete338 delete delete
Deaths of Condemned Women by Natural Causes
Characteristics of the Female Death Row Population
Predatory Murderers
Child Murderers
Spousal Murderers
Life Without Parole
Concluding Remarks delete372  
Conclusion delete
The First Historical Trend
The Second Historical Trend
The Third Historical Trend
Chapter Notes delete
Bibliography delete
Index delete

Editorial Reviews

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.

From the Publisher