“Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson

What is the social issue/social problem discussed in this book? How does this issue affect the lives of people? What are the underlying causes of this issue/problem? What is the connection to social work? Connection of the book’s topic to human rights and social & economic justice (If there is more than one topic, choose one) How is this a social, economic, and environmental justice issue? How is it a human rights issue? Choose a social policy that is related to this topic What is a law or policy that has been formulated to combat this problem/issue? What are the goals of the policy? What programs have come out of the policy? (For example, if we talk about the Social Security Act of 1935 we can then look at one of the programs that came out of that law) Does the policy see the problem as individual? Structural? Have the solutions been residual, institutional, or developmental? Have they solved the problem? How might the policy and the programs associated to it perpetuate and/or exacerbate the issue? Does it engage in second order blaming or keeping people in need? How would you change the policy so that it meets human needs and fulfills human rights? Conclusion – Summary of what you have learned