Unfair, Adam Benforado
Unfair, Adam Benforado
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Unfair
The New Science of Criminal Injustice

Author: Adam Benforado

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Unabridged: 10 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/16/2015


Synopsis

Our nation is founded on the notion that the law is impartial, that legal cases are won or lost on the basis of evidence, careful reasoning, and nuanced argument. But they may, in fact, turn on the camera angle of a defendant's taped confession, the number of photos in a mug shot book, or a simple word choice during a cross-examination.

In Unfair, law professor Adam Benforado shines a light on this troubling new research, showing, for example, that people with certain facial features receive longer sentences and that judges are far more likely to grant parole first thing in the morning. In fact, over the last two decades, psychologists and neuroscientists have uncovered many cognitive forces that operate beyond our conscious awareness—and Benforado argues that until we address these hidden biases head-on, the social inequality we see now will only widen, as powerful players and institutions find ways to exploit the weaknesses in our legal system.

Weaving together historical examples, scientific studies, and compelling court cases—from the border collie put on trial in Kentucky to the five teenagers who falsely confessed in the Central Park Jogger case—Benforado shows how our judicial processes fail to uphold our values and protect society's weakest members. With clarity and passion, he lays out the scope of the problem and proposes a wealth of reforms that could prevent injustice and help us achieve true fairness and equality before the law.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Darcia

I can sum up my thoughts in three easy words: Read this book. No, don't even hesitate long enough to read this review. Just buy the book. For those of you still with me, I'll do my best to offer some specifics. While the author gives us lots of facts to ponder, the content never feels dry or overly a......more

3.5 stars This is a thought-provoking critique of the American criminal justice system based on psychological research. It is more of an overview than a deep dive: in 286 pages of text (excluding the bibliography), the author discusses everything from snap judgments in investigations, to false confes......more