Pro vs Con: The Death Penalty

Two powerful arguments for an issue dividing the nation

Following the execution of Troy Davis last month, it seems that everyone except President Obama has an opinion on the death penalty. The statistics tell a sobering tale: There are currently 3,251 people on death row in this country. Forty-two percent of them are black, making this an important issue for African Americans. So we decided to talk to experts on both sides of the issue to give you the facts you need to make up your own mind.

On the pro death penalty side, we spoke to John McAdams, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science at Marquette University. We tapped Robert Rooks, National Criminal Justice Director for the NAACP, to represent the opposition. We asked them both the exact same questions; their answers have been edited only for clarity and space. Give it a read, then head to the comments to tell us where you fall in this debate. Let the discussion begin:

^{John McAdams, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science at Marquette University}