A law professor sounds an explosive alarm on the hidden unfairness of our legal system. —Kirkus Reviews; starred A child is gunned down by a police officer; an investigator ignores critical clues in a case; an innocent man confesses to a crime he did not commit; a jury acquits a killer. The evidence is all around us: Our system of justice is fundamentally broken. But it’s not for the reasons we tend to think; as law professor Adam Benforado argues in this eye-opening; galvanizing book. Even if the system operated exactly as it was designed to; we would still end up with wrongful convictions; trampled rights; and unequal treatment. This is because the roots of injustice lie not inside the dark hearts of racist police officers or dishonest prosecutors; but within the minds of each and every one of us. This is difficult to accept. Our nation is founded on the idea that the law is impartial; that legal cases are won or lost on the basis of evidence; careful reasoning and nuanced argument. But they may; in fact; turn on the camera angle of a defendant’s taped confession; the number of photos in a mug shot book; or a simple word choice during a cross-examination. In Unfair; Benforado shines a light on this troubling new field of research; showing; for example; that people with certain facial features receive longer sentences and that judges are far more likely to grant parole first thing in the morning. Over the last two decades; psychologists and neuroscientists have uncovered many cognitive forces that operate beyond our conscious awareness. Until we address these hidden biases head-on; Benforado argues; the social inequality we see now will only widen; as powerful players and institutions find ways to exploit the weaknesses of our legal system.Weaving together historical examples; scientific studies; and compelling court cases—from the border collie put on trial in Kentucky to the five teenagers who falsely confessed in the Central Park Jogger case—Benforado shows how our judicial processes fail to uphold our values and protect society’s weakest members. With clarity and passion; he lays out the scope of the legal system’s dysfunction and proposes a wealth of practical reforms that could prevent injustice and help us achieve true fairness and equality before the law.From the Hardcover edition.
#1009841 in Books 2003-05-06 2003-05-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.20 x .50 x 5.40l; 1.00 #File Name: 0767907795384 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This book reads like a novelBy Melvin L. GeladeThis book reads like a novel; with twists and turns; shifting alliances; excellent character analyses; and an intriguing plot. However; it also reads like a history book; albeit one that does not put the reader to sleep. It makes the reader feel as if he is living in the early 1940's where so much was at stake; and the battles were hard-fought; and often with devastating results. But; it tells the history of the end of WWII from a unique perspective. This is a tale of very sound military strategy; combined with a little bit of good fortune; as opposed to the blood and guts of most books of this genre. I couldn't put it down. I first read it several years ago; and I had to read it again. The second reading was as mesmerizing as the first.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful; uplifting bookBy Hobbes' MotherIf only our young people were aware of how terrible the World Wars were; and the events boys barely out of high school stepped up to do for the sake of our country and peoples subjected to horrendous cruelties put upon them by tyrants ruling Germany and Japan. The chances these young boys/men took; most of the time knowing the possibilities of surviving were nil; are so foreign to the youth of today. Don't get me wrong; the World Wars were over before I was born; but I've become kind of a WWIII "junkie" and am astonished at the tragedies (and triumphs) occurring during those eras. Breaks my heart that teaching our country's history; in particular how we arrived with today's freedoms; have faded into dust and our main focus now seems to worship sports "heroes" rather than true heroes depicted in books like this.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great book; my father was a crewman.By VERNON LINDHOLMFabulous book. My dad was a B29 crewman on The Last Mission (you can look him up; I am a junior); but knew nothing about the significance of the mission before he passed away in 1996. The bravery of the B29 crews was incredible; they were all brave heroes in defeating Japan. The B29s were in production while still untested prototypes; and the engines routinely caught fire or just failed; with complete upgraded designs by different manufacturers being used to replace failed engines that were poorly designed and had failed or burned up. For example; my dad was on a B29 mission in Puerto Rico when two engines on the same side caught fire. While trying to land; his plane hit a berm at a drainage ditch on the golf course before the runway; and the tail just in front of my father broke off cleanly. The three crewman in the tail lived; and the six in front died. A couple of weeks later; my father was assigned to a new crew; picked up a new plane at the Wichita factory; and took it directly to Guam. My father knew that the Final Mission was the last of the war; and heard the war was over by radio as they were nearing Guam to land; with so little gas that several planes ran out and stopped while taxiing on the runway; but in one mission these planes destroyed the last Japanese refinery.He told me that he never saw a Japanese fighter plane; and he was the side gunner. I'm unsure what he did in a B29B; which had the side guns stripped according to the book.
