Just Mercy Book Report

In his book, Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson writes of cases where the defendant was wrongfully condemned because their attorney did not do their job correctly. In some cases, this behavior extended past the original trial, all the way through any appeals available to the client. Stevenson continues by discussing how the trials were either clearly biased, or evidence was blatantly ignored. Yet often, the attorney either submitted a brief attesting to no appeal, or simply neglected to file an appeal by the deadline. Their clients not only did not receive the fair trial that our constitution mandates, but also lost any chance to take advantage of the fail-safes that were built into the legal system. When these ineffective defenders were eventually disbarred, no investigations were launched to revisit their past cases in search of legal malpractice. Instead, any cases directly impacted by their conduct were left as they were- with unfairly convicted people sitting behind bars. While the Equal Justice Initiative does what it can to help find justice for people who deserve it, they must be contacted by, or on behalf of, the victim of injustice. There are few programs to help individuals with mental illness or those without knowledge of the initiative, even though these are the people who need guidance the most.

Just Mercy Analysis In the memoir, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, Stevenson writes about his time spent as a young American attorney, battling systematic racism and discrimination against marginalized groups from the legal system. He shares the stories of the condemned, giving them a voice they were unable to have. He says “Most of the people crowded on death row had no lawyers and no right to counsel. There was a growing fear that people would be killed without ever having their cases reviewed by skilled counsel” (Stevenson 7).

In the book, “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, a novel focused on the court of law and justice, the purpose of the book is to engage our emotions and judgment towards the Criminal Justice System, and mass incarceration. Bryan’s book highlights mass incarceration and the CJS by appealing to pathos and logos. And by describing cruel prison conditions, police violating human rights and being abusive as well as unfair, and prisoners who have suffered abuse and are still unfairly convicted. Bryan appeals the logos by describing inmates on death row or who are incarcerated that have been previously abused. This forces a new agenda and another reason why the Criminal Justice System is in need of reform.

Review of Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. New York: Spiegel and Grau. 2015. 316 pages.

Just Mercy: A Story of justice and redemption is written by one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. The book talks about vindicating potential of mercy. Bryan Stevenson is a gifted attorney. He founded the Equal Justice Initiative. The initiative is opened to defend the poor, falsie accused, and those trapped in the abyss of our justice system. The whole book covers Bryan’s journey as he met different people. There are several character mention in the books. Every character in this book has their own story, and the author does brilliant job portraying them. This book talks about Stevenson’s life’s work and the racial injustice in American life. Also, the book talks about mass incarceration and extreme punishment in America. It is about how easily people are condemned in this country.

In the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, Stevenson talked about the society in the 18th century had filled with racism. Black people did not have the same right with white people, and the court was injustice and racist. The purpose of the book by Bryan Stevenson was to show people the injustice and inequality towards colored people that happened in the 18th century court. Stevenson tried to make people flashback to the time that racism had dominated the society and to warn people to cherish the equality of all people regard their races today. His main ideas was people should not be judged based on their race; however, people should take care of each other and be fair to each other. Stevenson

Since attending IUPUI my mind has truly been opened to new ideas when it comes to social justice. I have learned new outlooks that I would never have thought about on my own. I’ve been pushed to challenge to pervious outlooks on many issues. I’ve also had to accept the fact that people come from very different backgrounds and will have very different outlooks from me.

My personal involvement with the program enabled me to serve a pre-existing organization in the community actively working to address the social injustices present in Athens, particularly in the scope of Youth and Education advocacy. With my continued involvement with the organization since freshman year until present, my experiences with the organization helped me better understand the academic and personal challenges that these students face, and how I can work to address them with the program with the community

My childhood was split over two different and unique cultures. This special upbringing presented me with challenges that lead me to continually reflect on my life and identity throughout my childhood. I had to adapt to different educational systems as my family moved back and forth between Syria and the United States. However, that only motivated me to work harder and seize the opportunities that surrounded me at every point of my life. I learned to treat obstacles and hardships as chances for growth and development.

I am the first to go to graduate college in my family. As such, I faced many struggles in my undergraduate career in that I did not have family or peers to turn to for support and resources that would help me in college. Yet, that adversity taught me about perseverance—moving forward when all seemed lost—and my schooling at CSU East Bay taught me that my struggles form part of a larger history of struggle by the poor, disenfranchised, and marginalized, many of who are today, unfortunately, African Americans. These experiences, in turn, play a significant role in my decision to pursue a graduate education and they now form a critical component in my ability to find ways to overcome barriers to higher education.

Social justice and equal treatment have been a topic of interest for quite some time for many people. I am going to qualify the stance that justice doesn’t mean equal treatment. Though I agree that in some cases justice does mean equal treatment, in the words of Harper Lee and other sources of literature I have concluded that in certain cases equal treatment cannot be met for all parties involved. Equality implies that everyone enjoys the same rights, and everyone is bound by the same laws, has access to the same health care and education, and equal opportunity to employment; Given the diversity in race, social status and economic status in our society, true equality can be difficult to achieve.

My long-range goals and career ambitions after graduating from Butler Community College include attending Wichita State University, receiving my Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and continuing on with a career as a middle school English teacher. For the longest time I didn't have a clue of what I wanted to pursue as a career. I had planned on going to veterinarian school due to my love of animals. After nearly passing out during a surgery observation, I reconsidered my options. Through an internship program at Valley Center high school, I discovered my love for teaching. Blessed with the opportunity to work with a middle school English teacher and her classes, I was able to witness a teacher who was passionate about what she taught. She also truly cared for each one of her students and from personal experience, that is the key to being a good teacher.

I was conversing with a few students of mine that I mentor during the summer months and I realized that I really need to be in the academic world. Several students retorted to me that “I need to be a School Counselor or a prominent figure in the school districts. That is when I had that epiphany and I’ve realized that I want to work with students of all ages. When I am interacting with students I am at my happiest. Therefore, I would like to pursue my Master Degree in Higher Education Administration.

I’m a firm believer that the encounters and experiences we go through shape our character. I’d like to elucidate how mine in particular have shaped my personal and professional ambition of becoming an agent of change targeting social injustices. I’ve taken opportunity and adversity and created a desire to utilize my attributes for the benefit of vulnerable groups in my community. My journey for a higher education demonstrates a well-rounded understanding, theoretical and practical approach, but most importantly a sensitivity and awareness of the complexities of society.

When anyone asks me what I want to do in my lifetime, I always answer with, “I just want to be happy.” I have known the answer to that question for as long as I can remember. So, when the time came for me to start really thinking about the rest of my life (i.e. life after high school and adulthood) I had to think a lot about what makes me happy, and I have continued that journey ever since. My search for happiness and bettering my life has eventually led me here, to applying for a program that will allow me to achieve a Bachelor’s degree from Antioch University Online.