United Nations action in the field of capital punishment is reviewed, and the efforts of the Council of Europe to promote the abolition of capital punishment are outlined. Historical and contemporary rationales advanced for and against the death penalty are discussed, including deterrence and brutalization arguments. Public opinion toward the death penalty and its status worldwide also are considered. The use of capital punishment in common criminal law, in military law, and as an instrument of national defense also is discussed. Major trends in capital punishment research are reviewed in the areas of general debate, legal issues, application, attitudes, deterrence effectiveness, and death row inmates. Additional papers examine the capital punishment policy and practice, as well as related issues, in the United States, China, Uruguay, Latin America, Australia, Poland, and Botswana. A list of United Nations documents and resolutions on crime prevention and criminal justice is appended.