LAW & CRIME

Right Here, Right Now: Life Stories from America’s Death Row

Duke Univ. Apr. 2021. 272p. ed. by Lynden Harris. Tr . ISBN 9781478014119. pap. $22.95. CRIME
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This poignant compendium of accounts from men serving sentences on death row was developed as a project for Serving Life: ReVisioning Justice, a program that seeks to connect the public with individuals serving on death row, through the arts. Editor Harris, the founder and director of the arts collective Hidden Voices, organizes the narrative into sections by age range, from childhood to adult, all in an effort to push readers to see people’s humanity. These powerfully moving stories will bring readers face-to-face with men who are otherwise hidden from the public. By shedding light on systemic issues such as racism, childhood poverty, trauma, mental illness, and police misconduct, Harris forces readers to confront the realities of the U.S. criminal justice system.
VERDICT This volume packs a punch and gives a voice to those whose stories need to be fully heard. Libraries, especially those seeking to expand collections related to criminal justice and the politics surrounding issues of race and class, should purchase this title.
Reviewed by Mattie Cook, Flat River Community Lib., MI , Mar 01, 2021

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