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Just Mercy Thesis

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There are many victims of unfortunate circumstances in the world today, yet some of these results could have been easily avoided. In the novel, Just Mercy, the author Bryan Stevenson addresses many cases in which children under the age of 18 are incarcerated within the adult criminal justice system. By treating children as adults in the criminal justice system their innocence and undeveloped person, become criminalized. These children become dehumanized and only viewed as full-fledged criminals and as a result society offers no chance sympathy towards them. Stevenson argues that children tried as adults have become damaged and traumatized by this system of injustice. His claim that children should not be tried as adults is agreeable because …show more content…

These attributes can be something that a person has no control over, such as their race or socio-economic background. Criminalization is not often based on laws, but instead revolves around customs that others have been understood as good or bad, which can later lead to laws. This idea consists of the reinterpretation of everyday actions or ideas and vilifying them (Merry 14 -15). In the cases of children there exists the idea that a child who commits a violent and heinous crime will only become more violent and will continue to commit crimes. Therefore, once a despicable act has been committed by a child he or she becomes labeled as a violent criminal. This concept is known as the superpredator; that violent youths criminals, mini adults who should be doing the adult time for committing adult crimes (Bourgeois 150). This lead to the common idea that violent children are no exception to the law and should actually be detained as soon as possible to prevent further crimes. Since this term was brought into use it has proven to be widely inaccurate as there exists no evidence that young children involved in violent crimes became more frequent or more violent than their counterparts. The idea of superpredators thoroughly criminalizes children who have committed heinous acts because the children become defined by their crime leading many to believe that no matter the age,

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The book, “Just Mercy”, written by Bryan Stevenson, tells the story of true justice in helping incarcerated people fight for freedom. He develops convincing arguments showing the hidden flaws and inequality in the American criminal justice system. Bryan Stevenson makes his arguments through three appeals, ethos, logos and pathos, using personal experiences, his viewpoint on juvenile sentencing and justice, and his priorities. In chapter 2, Stand, Stevenson shares his personal experiences with the Atlanta Police Department to provide exposure to racial inequality. On a drive home from Gadsden, Alabama, Stevenson gets pulled over by an Atlanta SWAT car: “The other officer was now leaning inside my car and going through my papers.

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In Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson tells a first person account of his years defending the people who were wrongly convicted or punished by the US justice system. At the heart of the novel is the story of Walter McMillian, a man wrongly convicted of murder and sent to death row. Throughout the novel, Stevenson presents examples of individuals who were wrongfully punished due to racism and discrimination. He shows the readers how our criminal justice system unfairly impacts members of the Black community. He also highlights the destruction and devastation this can cause.

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Have you ever had an experience that altered or shifted your understanding of something?  Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson examines the experience of Bryan as he fights cases for people on Death Row, including those who have been wrongly imprisoned and/or have a mental illness. Through his interaction with Henry, Marsha, and Jim, Bryan’s level of understanding redemption and hopefulness was altered.      Through his interaction with Henry, Bryan’s understanding of redemption and hopefulness was altered.

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Mercy is empowering, liberating, and transformative when it is directed at the undeserving. The people who haven’t earned it, who haven’t even sought it, are the most meaningful recipients of our compassion.” Stevenson gives the readers multiple reasons why the system is so corrupt in such plain terms so that they can go out and do something about it. Don’t give up. Overcome the fear, ignorance, and bigotry.

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693 Words | 3 Pages

The author of Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson, shares many moments of his career throughout his book. One devastating experience he faced was his grandfather’s murder. Throughout chapter 14 and other chapters of Just Mercy, Stevenson explains that the lives of these children committing these crimes and being put on death row couldn’t be looked at as their fault without it really being evaluated. The lives of these children before being put on death row, were abusive, not safe, and terrible parental supervision.

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1452 Words | 6 Pages

Just Mercy is a beautiful in-depth view at the racial inequities within the justice system in America. It also explores countless other topics such as sex, gender, class and ableism. Within it’s pages it exposes the truths of a wrongly accused man, Walter McMillian. Other examples lie within the text as well, but McMillian’s glaring innocents is the main crux of Stevenson’s story. Throughout the novel Stevenson looks at the many facets of the human condition.

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1369 Words | 6 Pages

cWe All Need Mercy: Analysis of the film “Just Mercy” Angela Twigg ENG1010 Professor Potas March 2, 2023 We All Need Mercy: Analysis of the film “Just Mercy” The film Just Mercy is based off of real-life events. The film is centered around attorney Bryan Stevenson and his work with prisoners on death row. Bryan Stevenson and his organization, The Equal Justice Initiative, provide legal representation to prisoners on death row that are thought to be wrongly convicted, or that have been denied a fair trial.

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When Bryan Stevenson visits Joe, the cages were so small that Joe’s wheelchair could barely fit through and guards tried to force it out so violently that he started to cry (216). This experience demonstrates that even after all the struggles Joe has gone through in his childhood and over a decade of prison, he continues to be incarcerated in a cruel manner. It also shows Stevenson’s effective use of ethos because if it weren’t for his profession, people would not understand and acknowledge what Joe experienced. After years of representing adolescents, Bryan Stevenson claims that “...those who grow up poor, or in environments marked by abuse, violence, dysfunction, neglect, and the absence of living caretakers are left vulnerable to the sort of extremely poor decision-making that results in tragic violence” (222). Stevenson’s claim incorporates all the forms of rhetoric to ultimately get readers to accept the truth about teens who were convicted and charged as adults or got injustice.

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846 Words | 4 Pages

“You can’t understand most of the important things from a distance, Bryan. You have to get close”(Stevenson 13). This reality that Bryan Stevenson’s grandmother voices in Just Mercy expose the many issues that plague the criminal justice system today. How the alienation of the convicted causes a disconnect between the prosecutors and the persecuted, the lack of empathy and effort to get close to the ones who are most vulnerable. Only by utilizing empathy are we able to further resonate with the condemned as humans and understand the inhumane nature of the punishments we give.

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“There is a strength, a power even, in understanding brokenness, because embracing our brokenness creates a need and desire for mercy, and perhaps a corresponding need to show mercy (Stevenson 109) .” This bold statement is one of many as Bryan Stevenson sets the tone for his renowned award winning novel Just Mercy. As a young lawyer from Georgia, built the foundation for his company, SPDC (Southern Prisoners Defense Committee) to help convicts that are on death row or in need a second chance. Bryan Stevenson, a young lawyer from Georgia who fought for justice on the behalf of inmates on death row, showed tremendous intelligence in becoming a successful lawyer, demanding for not backing down in moments of refusal, and was an overall advocate

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775 Words | 4 Pages

Another strategic technique used by Stevenson was logos, means to convince an audience by use of logic or reason. Towards the ending of the chapter, the author assimilated facts and statistics about the increase in the variety of crimes and harsh punishment. For example, hundreds of thousands of inoffensive offenders are having to spend from years to decades in prison for harmless crimes such as writing a bad check or minor property crime (Stevenson 15). These shocking facts make the reader think if these people should actually be imprisoned for minor crimes for such long periods of time. The audience also thinks about the difficulties the families of the people who are in prison have to go through without them.

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382 Words | 2 Pages

The Importance of Mercy Just Mercy is a powerful book that explores the flaws of the criminal justice system in America. Written by Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer, and social justice activist, The book tells the story of his work defending wrongly convicted people on death row. The book highlights the importance of compassion, empathy, and understanding in the pursuit of true justice. It challenges us to examine their biases about race, class, and the criminal justice system. Mercy is an often overlooked in today's society.

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1029 Words | 5 Pages

Within another case Stevenson says, “I decided to take on the case. We got Charlie’s case transferred to juvenile offense. That meant that Charlie wouldn’t be sent to an adult prison, and he would likely get out before he turned eighteen” (103), this may not seem like the biggest win to some, but this allowed for a child who had been thrown a lot to have a life away from what he had done as well as what happened to

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902 Words | 4 Pages

1. Which social problems are treated in this book? Why did they develop? Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption focuses on many social problems, including the miscarriage of justice to the poor, disabled and minorities; along with the poor living conditions in prisons, and the cruel and unusual punishment. The miscarriage of justice developed throughout our country’s history.

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There are many phenomena that could cause or correlate with crime. In addition to this, there are many characteristics to these phenomena that cause/correlate with criminal behavior. Furthermore, these characteristics can be individual, sociological, or both that could have an effect on criminal behavior. This paper will take the educational avenue on crime.

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