Let's say that Sister Helen Prejean is not particularly impressed with the government's ability to carry out justice. She argues that the death penalty process is fundamentally unfair and arbitrary: for one thing, it's usually poor people and those who kill white people who are put to death; rich people or those who kill black people generally aren't. The system is classist and racist.
More surprising is the fact that the justice system doesn't even really care about victims and their families: they are treated horribly by both the police and the courts, who either ignore them or—if they're poor and black—actively abuse them. "Justice," in this book, seems to be more about political expediency for politicians and District Attorneys than about actually trying to create a more just country.
For a book written by a nun, Dead Man Walking can be pretty cynical.
Questions About Justice and Judgment
- Do you think Prejean would accept the death penalty if it were administered justly? Explain your answer.
- In what ways does the justice system, as described in the book, seem too lax?
- Does the justice system help the victims' families in the book? Explain your answer.
Chew on This
Human beings cannot justly administer the death penalty.
The problem with the death penalty is not a failure of justice but a failure of mercy.