Victims of Crime and Punishment: Interviews with Victims, Convicts, Their Families, and Support Groups

Joseph Brown confessed to a burglary he committed with an accomplice, who got even by accusing Brown of a murder. Brown was convicted and sentenced to die, although the accomplice failed a polygraph test and admitted he lied. Brown, who came within hours of execution, was released after 13 years on death row--from a chapter on a victim of punishment.

It was a pretty rough time and we prayed that Yusuf would be found alive. Eighteen days after he disappeared, they found his body in an abandoned school.... After the funeral I was still in shock and not wanting to believe that my Yusuf would never again put his arms around my neck--from a mother's story about her murdered son.

This thought-provoking collection of interviews provides an insight into the multifaceted issue of victims. Topics include personal accounts, support and survival, and voices for reform. Also discussed are organizations that provide assistance to victims.