Reviews the history of the death penalty in the United States from colonial times through the present. Among Western democracies, the United States stands alone in its continued use of capital punishment as a sanction. Examines the contemporary death penalty and the many controversies surrounding its continued use (focusing on U.S. Supreme Court decisions around the constitutionality of the death penalty). Discusses historical and contemporary controversies around the administration of the death penalty including potential innocence, special populations, methods of execution, race and gender biases, costs, deterrence, and international relations.