Ernest van den Haag, currently a professor at Fordham University and a Distinguished Scholar at the Heritage Foundation, argues that the death penalty must be retained as a sentencing alternative. John Conrad, currently a Visiting Fellow at the National Institute of Justice, argues that the death penalty is an anachronism whose survival does great harm to society without accomplishing any comparable good. Issues explored are the purpose of punishment, retribution, the deterrent effect of the death penalty, constitutional issues, discrimination issues, crimes of passion, rehabilitation, the symbolic meaning of the death penalty, and popular arguments. Data tables, chapter reference lists, and an index are supplied.