Summary Of Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy

In Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy, he argues that many states unfairly remove the rights of convicted felons, despite being released from prison. Stevenson, who fights for equal justice and serves as a criminal defense attorney, believes that states have targeted the voting rights of convicted felons, and he explains that “Some states permanently strip people with criminal convictions of the right to vote; as a result, in several Southern states disenfranchisement among African American men has reached levels unseen since before the Voting Rights Act of 1965” (Stevenson 16). In this excerpt from his book, Stevenson is describing how disfranchisement rates have increased rapidly over the past decades, specifically in the Black

In recent years, there has been a growing argument regarding disenfranchisement, which is opinionated by many stakeholders. Multiple laws have been enacted to either prevent disenfranchisement or to encourage this measure. In the article, Kramer and Newton explain that “The loss of the right to vote for convicted felons is an important concern, because governments are chosen by voters who in turn must obey the laws enacted by the representatives they elect.” The authors are saying that while voting is a crucial part of a democracy, it is also important to follow the laws that create a democratic government. It does not make sense that those who break the law are allowed to have an effect on the government. Instead of facing a punishment, these criminals are treated just like law-abiding citizens. In addition, the authors explain that disenfranchisement rulings “[serve] the same purpose as the other forms of punishment for felonies: to discourage people from committing serious crimes by making them forfeit not only a year or more of their lives in prison, but by excluding them from the body of citizens who make the rules they agree to abide by.” The article explains that people who have committed felonies must be disciplined in order to learn a lesson. Many states that fail to punish released felons have people who may repeat their illegal activities. They may try to test the government and bend the rules. Without a serious punishment, these people are more likely to repeat their crimes. Heather Kramer and Otis Newton, who write for the Lakeside Publishing Group, believe that disenfranchisement is a necessary measure against convicted felons, as these criminals have failed to comply with the very document that provides them with many freedoms. This article hopes to attract the attention of the general