Concept
The overall theme of Just Mercy is exposing the searing injustices in the U.S criminal justice system. Bryan Stevenson’s portrayal of this topic is both intriguing and informative. Before reading Just Mercy, I was oblivious to how the U.S. criminal justice system really worked. What impacted me the most was the stories about children being sent to death row or raped in adult prisons. I had always thought juveniles were sent to detention centers, not adult prisons. Either way, no child should have been treated in such a neglectful way. Not only children were unsafe, but adult men and women were also at risk of being wrongfully incarcerated. That’s why Stevenson wrote about the perspective of these people we call criminals so that we recognize what’s on the other side of the system. Stevenson said, “Walter’s experience taught me how our system traumatizes and victimizes people when we exercise our power to convict and condemn irresponsibly-not just the accused but also their families, their communities, and even the victims of crime" (Stevenson 17). What Stevenson is saying is that this recurring unjust situation does not just impact the prisoners; It impacts everyone, including myself. As a minority myself, I wondered how it would be if I were wrongfully accused of a crime with no hope of being freed. At the same time, it also made me thankful for people like Bryan Stevenson who stand up for those who have little to no hope. What I disliked about Stevenson’s address of the situation is that there were few to no suggestions on how the reader could get involved. Since Just Mercy had the intention of helping to make a difference, it is only fair to try and get the reader involved. The reader could always work to fix the system from the inside as Stevenson did, but others might want to help outside of the system. Stevenson’s take on his job is nonetheless both inspiring and honorable.
Image Credits: https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/mass-incarceration-then-and-now
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