Capital Punishment In Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy

One of our country’s namesakes is the “Home of the Free.” However, can we truly live up to the name? Since the American Revolution, the United States has made grand movements to ensure the rights of our citizens. The Civil Rights Movement and Marriage Equality have continued the ongoing battle of our rights, freedom, and equalization. Nonetheless, the United States has become known, globally, for its high incarceration rates as well as the controversial capital punishment. In his expose, Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson illuminates the issues of inequality in the American justice system. Extreme punishments and mass incarcerations have become the norm in our justice system and Stevenson claims these deficiencies disadvantage and punishes minorities, …show more content…
At first glance of Garnett’s situation, the audience may come to the conclusion that she is one of the many black, poor youths that have found themselves trapped in our justice system. Garnett was raised in poverty, with her sisters, and was mentally and physically abused (Stevenson 149). After living on the streets, with no supervision, Garnett was lead down a path that many poverty stricken citizens have ventured. Garnett is one of the many examples that Stevenson uses to make his audience aware that children and mentally ill people are not being trialed properly or given a chance for rehabilitation once the commit a crime. Adding to his claim, Stevenson and his associates wrote a report called “Cruel and Unusual” to “draw attention to the plight of children in the United States who had been sentenced to die in prison” (Stevenson 161). Stevenson realized that many people may not be aware of the cruel punishment that children and mentally ill people are subjected and he is hoping that his audience will feel emotionally moved to help his