This is a must read for all! I liked the methodical approach to discussing the different parts of the criminal justice system. I learned a lot about the racism and anti-poverty actions.

Having recently re-read Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy: a story of justice and redemption for a book club discussion, I can’t help but connect these two books. Both are powerful and eye opening.

While the authors’ styles differ, they make for a potent duo. Stevenson’s work is somewhat more readable and personal but Bright and Kwak do an excellent job of updating the earlier work and give a more organized and detailed overview of the legal process. Both books make a passionate and heart-wrenching statement on the failures of this country’s criminal legal system.

The Fear of Too Much Justice… is an important and timely read – highly recommended.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I got an ARC of this book.

I work in the adult criminal felony world. The ideas of this book and what the authors point out are my daily life, for the most part. Some of it was shocking to me, which means either I am missing big things happening in my area, or my county is doing some things right. I really hope it is the second one.

If you don’t know how cases go from accused crime to parole, the book really does break down a lot of the process. Each chapter focuses heavily one part of the process. There is a lot of explanations for why the part focused on matters and how it can drastically change a life. Jury selection for example. It explains how different areas have different rules on how many people on a jury and what jury selection looks like. Then they explain how having an all white jury is prejudicial, despite what the supreme court seems to think. There are stats, there are examples of real cases, real prosecutors, real outcomes. This is not just theory, it is reality.

There is a heavy focus on capital cases and certain states, which is partially why some of it was shocking to me. My state was mentioned once and my office doesn’t handle capital cases, which might explain why some of these issues aren’t completely on my radar. There was even talk about misdemeanors, which is a wild world. Which means some of what is happening will never be part of my office. We don’t have to worry about jury selection when it comes to death vs life. We do have to worry about jury selection, but at a different level. I do not envy those that have to deal with that distinction. Some of the most brilliant attorneys I know do capital appeals. That is their sole jobs. So seeing a bit more of what they are up against was fascinating and disheartening.

There were some interesting choices word wise. The number of time that the authors called Black people “Blacks” was off putting. Add in how Black and African American were used interchangeably and I was often scratching my head. So not the most up to date on terms.

I don’t think the book went far enough in some areas. There were some mention that police officers target Black people, but it didn’t really dive into how to stop that. It was brushed off, saying scale down prisons and get more social services to prevent crime. Just say it. We need more than that. We need to defund the police. The system will just keep going until every part of the issue is addressed. If police were not actively targeting people, if courts were not helping wring every cent out of poor people, if the system wasn’t legal slavery, then the United States would be a better place. Each step needs addressing. Doing one thing or adding things to each step won’t stop the problems. Ending the death penalty will only address innocent people being killed and the racism that is so blatant in the enforcement of the death penalty. It won’t address how the person got there. It won’t address their abuse in the system to that point. Addressing the harassment and violence perpetrated by the police will lower the crime rate since crimes will not be trumped up (there was not discussions on resisting arrest and other charges that are added by police on top of the actual situation). The lower charges, mean less consequences down the line. Each step matters. (Also there was no discussion on how BIPOC people get less help when police are involved than when white people are. Missing white people make the news, missing indigenous people don’t. My wife literally solved a murder the police “couldn’t” while being a reporter. Can you guess information on that case?)

All this to say, I will be seeing Bright in October and I can’t wait to talk to him about all this. Overall, a great introduction to the glaring racism and classism of the United States criminal justice system. Just wish the authors had really gone for a whole system fix instead of just parts of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a very important look at all the issues with the American Justice system, that prevents people from receiving a fair trial. The authors cover every issue exhaustively, while also mentioning people and groups who are trying to change the system for the better. I believe this should be required reading, so more people would understand how truly broken the system is.

The Fear of Too Much Justice is an eye opening look at the ways the court system fails people in obvious and not so obvious ways. From the ways that private probation companies make money on trivial violations to sentencing people to death when there are discrepancies in evidence, Bright and Kwak do a great job breaking down the problems.

This book captivated me, blending the more visible issues with the criminal justice system's mistreatment of defendants with the forces not so easily seen. I learned a lot, and appreciated how wide-ranging the authors' research and arguments were. This is a worthy investment both for those familiar with the criminal justice system, and for those less familiar but interested in learning about the perils stemming from prosecutorial misconduct, judicial corruption, and the financial incentives to fear too much justice.

What can I say this book is truth breathtaking and such an eye opener that I feel a lot of people need to read, the lengths theses men’s went to save the innocent is incredible! They deserve all the recognition!