Dead Man Walking

Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J

Revue by Christine Hasan

Dead Man Walking.

Written in 1993 by Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J a member of the Sisters St. Joseph of Medaille , Dead Man Walking is arguably the best known of all books concerning death penalty issues.As relevant today as when it was written, it follows the course of Sister Helen's life as she gives spiritual counseling and then friendship and support not just to death row inmates, but eventually to the families of the victims.

Whilst the first chapter is a little turgid, the reader is soon drawn into the lives of all involved. The iniquities of the criminal justice system in the United States of America are highlighted, with regard not only to criminals, but also to the victims and their families.
It disturbingly highlights the well documented fact, that wealthy criminals do not end up on death row! The poor and disenfranchised can expect to face execution, often without ever having received the benefit of adequate legal representation.

The execution procedure has more to do with political realities and retribution than the quest for justice and families are left with a sense of futility rather than closure.
Prisoners are kept in conditions that often defy logic and are stripped of their status as human beings at every opportunity. As an anti-death penalty lawyer points out to Sister Helen "Why worry about someone going to the dentist or having fresh ventilation or adequate recreation when they are planning to kill him anyway?"

Sister Helen hides nothing and never tries to romanticize the people or situations she tells about. It is a disturbing read. The readers can expect their emotions to be pulled in conflicting directions, but I guarantee that no one, no matter how hardened a death penalty advocate they may be before reading this book, will be able to finish the last page without readdressing their values.

This book (ISBN: 0-679-75131-9 ) is published by Vintage Books, Random House Press.