Educational Media Reviews Online

This video provides a balanced view of the opposing sides to the death penalty debate in America. It features interviews with leading experts on the subject from Amnesty International as well as the Innocence Project, a non-profit legal clinic at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. It also includes interviews with families of homicide victims, current and former death row inmates, and attorneys.

Viewers of this documentary are exposed to the many different viewpoints on this controversial subject. Each person interviewed expresses their opinions on the topic, leaving no doubt as to their beliefs. Film footage of gas chambers, prisons, convicted murderers and their victims and crime scenes are shown. Some of this footage may be difficult for some viewers to watch.

The film was well researched and contains statistical information on capital punishment in this country through 2001. The technical and sound quality were fine on the whole, although a few of the visuals were slightly grainy. Since it is a very volatile topic, it would be advisable for teachers to take this into consideration before showing it to their classes. While this reviewer recommends the video for its fair treatment of the subject, it is with the caveat that it is not for the squeamish or for those who may be extremely uncomfortable with the subject. It would be a valuable addition to libraries with materials on this topic and would provide an excellent springboard for class discussions and projects on the topic.