The report highlights entrenched and nationwide police brutality and the physical and sexual abuse of prisoners, many of whom are held in inhuman and degrading conditions. People who have fled to the U.S. in search of safety are treated as criminals and held behind bars; the number of people executed each year is rising relentlessly; and more than 3,000 condemned prisoners are on death row. The book describes the death penalty as arbitrary, unfair, and racially biased, and discusses its applications in the United States. It also examines U.S. arms and human rights abuses. The report is part of a worldwide campaign against human rights abuses in the U.S. Amnesty International challenges U.S. authorities to bring U.S. laws and practices into line with international standards; to reinforce the Nation’s commitment to international human rights protection; and to work toward a world in which the freedoms and rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are a reality. Glossary, notes, figures, appendix