The Death Penalty w/ David Garland

The United States is the only industrialized Western nation that executes its own citizens. Why is this? Is this a good or a bad thing? In today's episode we explore these questions with Professor David Garland, perhaps the leading expert on capital punishment in the United States.

You can check out the episode on iTunes here, or, if you haven't iTunes, then here. 

Also check out Professor Garland's excellent book on the death penalty, Peculiar Institution: America's Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition, here. And if that isn't enough, why not read Justice John Paul Stevens's review of it? 

Selective Incapacitation w/ Kate Auerhahn

American criminal justice has long concerned itself with finding the most dangerous criminals and separating them from society. The problem with this, according to today's guest, is determining exactly who the most dangerous criminals are. What do Charles Manson and a fellow incarcerated for life for stealing a pizza pie have in common? Listen up and find out!

Listen here on iTunes or, if you do not have iTunes, here. 

Restorative Justice w/ Kim Cook

In the past few years, the idea of restorative justice has gained traction as an alternative theory of punishment. This simple idea involves having offenders and victims meet face to face, and the latter then explaining how he or she has been injured by the former. While opponents of restorative justice have labeled it hopelessly naive, today's guest, Professor Kim Cook, believes restorative justice may be an antidote to needless incarceration.

Listen up here or, if you haven't iTunes here. 

What Hell is Like w/ Edward Fudge

In the second part of our two-part series on Hell, we discuss the different views of what Hell is like. According to Protestant Pastor Edward Fudge, the Bible points in a single direction. Whether you agree, disagree, or don't really have an opinion either way, Pastor Fudge provides excellent insight into how the ultimate punishment is understood by many people today.

You can listen to the podcast here, or here if you do not have iTunes.

You can purchase Pastor Fudge's book, The Fire That Consumes, here.  

Hell's Origins w/ Alan Bernstein

In today's episode we tackle the ultimate punishment of all, none other than Hell. Hell scholar Alan Bernstein discusses how the concept of eternal punishment has varied and evolved throughout European and Middle Eastern history. Our subject may be Hell, but this episode is Heaven to listen to.

You can listen to the episode on iTunes here, or, if you haven't iTunes, here.

Pick up Alan Bernstein's major work, The Formation of Hell, here.