I know I’m late to the party on this one and everything I want to say has probably already been said in many other reviews, but I still need to share.

This book was so powerful, eye-opening, and heart-breaking. Criminal justice reform, especially the prison system, is something I studied a lot in college and is an important issue to me. So I’ve already heard many of the statistics presented in the book—but I needed to read them again. They’re shocking and horrifying.

Actually reading about some of EJI’s specific cases was also a very important part of this book. It’s one thing to read statistics, and it’s another thing to read actual stories of people who are included in those statistics. My heart felt so heavy while reading about Walter, Anthony, Trina, Ian, and so many others.

While we still have a long way to go, I was heartened to read about the some of the successes EJI has had over the past several decades to progress our criminal justice system, especially related to sentencing children.

Now, when people ask me which book I’d recommend to everyone, it will be Just Mercy.