Reading through Chapters 1 to 6 of “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, reveals to us how many

innocent people end up in prison as a result of false stories and evidences. In addition, Stevenson
portrays the impact of racial discrimination from the decisions taken by judges. The writer provides an
unbiased opinion on the innocence of his client by researching on the life of the suspect as well as the
entire murder case. The writer also opens up our eyes to how failure in the criminal justice may affect
the defendant and their families. Stevenson refers to such an occurrence as “collateral damage”. The
writer also attempts to show how the criminal justice of Bahamas is overwhelmed with murder cases
that some of them have been turned down if the client’s life is not in danger. The primary story in this
book focuses on Walter McMillian. This is an innocent black American who isdeclared guilty of
murderand is given a death penalty in Alabama.Throughout the six chapters, the author attempts give
facts on the consequences of having a flawed criminal justice system.

Mass incarcerationis the act of placing a huge population in jail. Imprisonment serves as a
punishment for prisoners due to their actions against the law. It is a resolution for keeping the public
safe. The United States is becoming a country that solves its problems by throwing people in prison,
even for minor crimes. This is a serious issue that has led to mass incarceration, and only now have
Americans begun to understand the weight of this predicament. Stevenson argues against mass
incarceration as a money-making enterprise that unjustly punishes people of color and those with
mental illness.Prisoners follow strict rules and agendas while following the culture within the walls of
prison. As a result of their crimes, criminals lose their freedom and are placedtogether with others who
suffer the same fate. The biggest issue is mass incarceration on theblack Americans. The problem
addressed in this paper is mass incarceration of blackAmericans,other non-white groups, peoplewith
mental illness, and poor people of all races in the United States. Mass incarceration between black
Americans has had a catastrophic impact on communities and families and remains to create a series of
discrimination, which makes it nearly impossible for the race to progress.

Mass incarceration is affected by corrupt officials with power. American governors are bribed by
private prison builders to put as many people in jail as possible. Stevenson explains this by asserting that
Prisons have started putting away Americans for no other reason than lining their own pockets. Private
prisons’ main goal is to create and fill as many prisons as they can, creating more money. The issue of
mass incarceration has escalated so quickly due to private companies. their attempts to create phony
crimes to keep themselves rich at the expense of others’ lives. Stevensontruly encompasses the analogy
of “getting close”. He presents the readers with the truth behind mass incarceration and extreme
punishment in the United States of America. “Private prison builders and prison service companies have
spent millions of dollars to persuade state and local governments to create new crimes, impose harsher
sentences, and keep more people locked up so that they earn more profits (p. 16).”

Mass incarceration punishes the mentally ill unjustly byimprisoning themand worsening their
condition further. Most people, who are mentally ill, are enclosed inmass incarceration. The Juries and
Judges sentence them without a second thoughton their health status.The system ofjustice does not put
into account the mental status of a person, and how the punishment will affect the person. The long
prison sentences putthe mentally ill at risks, making them even more fragile. Stevenson writes that,
“Today, over 50 percent of prison and jail inmates in the United States have a diagnosed mental illness,
a rate nearly five times greater than that of the general adult population” (p. 188).

Stevenson discusses how American prisons are placesforthe mentally ill. Mass incarceration
ismostly fuelled by sentencing andunwarranted drug policies.Theimprisonment of many impoverished
and mentally ill people is a driving force in attainingthe record of imprisonment levels. In most cases, the
primaryreason for committing crimes is thestatus of mental illness. Thesystem of justice does not take
time to understand why peoplecommitcrimes;it just tosses away the understanding that most people
need professional help. The mentally ill are noteven considered bythe judges and juries, since they are
given similar harsh punishments like any other prisoner(p.186).

Stevenson provides a perceptionof incarcerate in the lives of young people at the age of
thirteen.They are put in adults’ prisons, where they certainly suffer from abuses. There is one case that
involves a young man known as Charlie, who suffered dreadful abuse in the adult prison before he could
even go for trial. Again, Stevensonputs a real face to various people in the society who we ought to
disregard. Themainfactorthat affects the rate of death sentencingis based on race and status of the
victim. According to the American General Accounting research, a person or a victim is more exposed to
death sentencing if he is a black American. This is essentially unfair and wrong. Itportrays the fact that
not all lives matter. Also, there are people, such as Walter McMillian, who plays a central role in
Stevenson’s book, who are innocent and on death row. We cannot be comfortable as a nation executing
innocent people.

Stevenson further addresses the injustice reality experienced in our society. By speaking out, we
can manifest and create changes in the laws, practices, andpolicies. Stevenson illustrates leadership as
not just simply embracingtheconception of justice. Theconceptionshould be endured every day
bystrengthening policy reform and representing clients. An example includes the case of 2010 where
Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiativeappear before the American Supreme Court to
endchildren’ssentencing tobecome amandatory life sentence without acquittal. In this case, the
American Supreme Court viewed this as unconstitutional. However, Stevenson acknowledges that
something should be done asfar as injustice prevails. With every step, Stevenson brings us close to a
more just society where equal justice prevails.

TheAmerican youth have experiencedshortcomings in the system of justice for some time now.
However it is difficult to debate and discuss the legal system’s ideology or the personalized accounts
received from the tragedies it inflicts.Mass incarceration has been a serious concern in the United
States. Theintolerance and ignorance of the system of justice are the causes. The United States is filling
up prisons with the mentally ill, the youths, the impoverished, and the people of color.Private prison
organizations make money from this problem, doing nothing to help solve it. People are unfairly judged
and sentenced based on racism, stereotypes, and the inability to defend themselves. Failure
toacknowledge mass incarceration as a serious issue, true justice remains unattainable.
Work cited

Western, Bruce, David F. Weiman, and Mary E. Pattillo.Imprisoning America: The Social Effects of Mass
Incarceration. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2004.

Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. Melbourne, Victoria : Scribe. , 2015.

Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: Adapted for Young Adults : a True Story of the Fight for Justice.Random
House Children's Books. , 2019.