Our criminal justice system is imperfect. Oftentimes, we put blame on the actors of the system such as police officers, prosecutors, judges, etc. However, very often this is not the case. The new book by Adam Benforado sheds light on this problem. Benforado rightfully argues that humans are very judgmental. For example, we tend to cross the street when they see a person of African-American descent walking towards them because we associate this race with higher crime rates.
This book is not about the criminal justice system itself, per se, but about the psychology of it.
There are three parts to the book, each dedicated to a specific process in the criminal justice system from investigation to punishment and reform. Moreover, each chapter in those parts to a particular player of the criminal justice system, starting from the victim and ending with the prisoner. Most chapters start with an account of a specific case study, where the author provides the reader with all the details. Later on, he delves into deep analysis using neuroscience and psychology. Lastly, the final chapter is where the author makes conclusions and offers ways to reform our criminal justice system.
Overall, I found the author's writing to be rather clear and concise. Benforado does a great job weaving together the stories and the science. Hopefully, this book will give us new perspectives in reforming our criminal justice system.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
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