Death Penalty

In a sign that malaise over rising inflation and stressors related to pandemic recovery could be influencing Tennesseans’ attitudes toward elected leaders, support for President Joe Biden and Gov. Bill Lee has dropped among registered voters, according to the most recent statewide Vanderbilt Poll. Read More

Associate professor of philosophy Lisa Guenther isn't afraid to think hard about the dark side: She studies issues related to mass incarceration, police violence and the death penalty, and facilitates a philosophy workshop with prisoners on death row. Read More

In the bygone era brought to life in a Vanderbilt history professor's new book, spending years in prison was considered excessively cruel and unusual while breaking every bone in a criminal's body while keeping him alive was reasonable punishment. Read More

More than 100 prison scholars, activists and practitioners from across the United States and other nations will gather at Vanderbilt University May 3-5 to explore issues ranging from prison rehabilitation and education to the impact of racism, gender and sexuality on incarceration. Read More

Rethinking Prisons conference brings together more than 100 scholars, activists, and practitioners from across the US, as well as Canada and Brazil, to discuss issues raised by prisons and the death penalty. Read More

There is good reason to think that long-term solitary confinement has debilitating psychological effects which render people unable to engage socially, says Lisa Guenther, associate professor of philosophy. Read More