Victims of Crime and Punishment

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 multi-faceted issue of victims. Topics include personal accounts, support and survival and voices for reform. Also discussed are organizations that provide assistance to victims.