Sister Helen Prejean wrote Dead Man Walking based on her experiences with a death row inmate named Patrick Sonnier. The story allows readers to follow Prejean as she transitions from nun to spiritual counselor. As the story's narrator, Prejean delves into the emotional toll this situation takes on both the victim's families and the death row inmates themselves. The story follows his entire experience with Patrick and his brother which ultimately ends with Patrick's execution and also Robert Willie's execution. After this experience, Helen once again finds herself on the front line in the fight against the death penalty. Summary In 1982, Sister Helen Prejean voluntarily experimented with life in projects with her sisters to better accommodate poor families in New Orleans. Given her privileged and wealthy upbringing, the experience was a drastic change that required more than a little courage and determination. Her work eventually leads her to the desperate and isolated death row inmates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. This final stop for violent inmates is where he learns the identity of the man with whom he will share correspondence. His name is Patrick Sonnier and his crime is murder. Helen is initially afraid of the man with whom she regularly exchanges letters and words of encouragement. Patrick's photo depicts an angry and violent man. His words, however, paint a completely different picture. Patrick begins to appear more human in Helen's eyes and less like a violent killer. It is with hesitation that she agrees to meet him in person. The long and nerve-wracking journey to Angola brings her to a small room waiting for a man convicted of two murders. Upon entering the room his ap...... middle of paper ...... to a higher level that is analyzing aspects of the criminal justice system. This work challenges established processes and offers real-world examples. It also covers the victim's point of view to a certain extent. In conclusion, the book written by Sister Helen Prejean was a quality account of the death penalty process and the inmates awaiting sentencing. It not only humanizes violent criminals convicted of the most heinous crimes, but shows how death row affects inmates physically and psychologically. Prejean failed to change the two men's sentences, but he succeeded in telling the stories and was at least able to uncover the cracks in their beliefs and defenses. In terms of victimization and death penalty studies, the book provides quality perspectives and information. Prejean's journey must have been difficult, but certainly enlightening.