Doing Justice：A Prosecutor's Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law

Bytheone-timefederalprosecutorfortheSouthernDistrictofNewYork,animportantoverviewofthewayourjusticesystemworks,andwhytheruleoflawisessentialtooursociety.Usingcasehistories,personalexperiencesandhisowninvitingwritingandteachingstyle,PreetBhararashowsthethoughtprocessweneedtobestachievetruthandjusticeinourdailylivesandwithinoursociety.PreetBhararahasspentmuchofhislifeexaminingourlegalsystem,pushingtomakeitbetter,andprosecutingthoselookingtosubvertit.Bhararabelievesinoursystemandknowsitmustbeprotected,buttodoso,wemustalsoacknowledgeandallowforflawsinthesystemandinhumannature.Thebookisdividedintofoursections:Inquiry,Accusation,JudgmentandPunishment.Heshowswhyeachstepofthisprocessiscrucialtothelegalsystem,buthealsoshowshowweallneedtothinkabouteachstageoftheprocesstoachievetruthandjusticeinourdailylives.Bhararausesanecdotesandcasehistoriesfromhislegalcareer--thesuccessesaswellasthefailures--toillustratetherealitiesofthelegalsystem,andtheconsequencesoftakingaction(andinsomecases,nottakingaction,whichcanbejustasessentialwhentryingtoachieveajustresult).MuchofwhatBhararadiscussesisinspiring--itgivesushopethatrationalandobjectivefact-basedthinking,combinedwithcompassion,cantrulyleadusonapathtowardtruthandjustice.Someofwhathewritesaboutwillbecontroversialandcausemuchdiscussion.Ultimately,itisathought-provoking,entertainingbookabouttheneedtofindthehumanityinourlegalsystem--andinoursociety.