What kind of society do we want? That is the ultimate question Gardner C. Hanks asks in this compelling book.Drawing on Old and New Testament resources as well as secular arguments, Hanks shows that the death penalty harms rather than helps any quest for a just, humane society. Used primarily against the poor or mentally disabled, capital punishment reinforces societal inequities and exacerbates racism. Hanks demonstrates through research data that the death penalty is not only an ineffective crime-fighting tool, it also brings out the worst in society, pollutes the political process, and threatens human rights.