Death Row Confinement and the Meaning of Last Words

Life under sentence of death can be a transformative process. One measure of this transformation can be found in last words, which often highlight the humanity of condemned prisoners on the threshold of execution, in sharp contrast to popular conceptions of these prisoners as evil, remorseless, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Robert Johnson, Laura Caitlin Kanewske, Maya Barak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-02-01
Series:Laws
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2075-471X/3/1/141
Description
Summary:Life under sentence of death can be a transformative process. One measure of this transformation can be found in last words, which often highlight the humanity of condemned prisoners on the threshold of execution, in sharp contrast to popular conceptions of these prisoners as evil, remorseless, and irredeemable. Our reading of last words suggests that the transformation process can be best understood by examining the dominant contours of the death row experience, the most recent formative experience in the lives of condemned prisoners before they are put to death.
ISSN:2075-471X