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The Deserving: What the Lives of the Condemned Reveal About American Justice
A groundbreaking new take on the American justice system from one of its unknown “mercy workers,” offering a powerful new vision of responsibility, punishment, and repair.
“We need the work that is mitigation. It is mercy work.” —Sister Helen Prejean
Elizabeth Vartkessian works with criminal defense teams as a mitigation specialist. She isn’t part of the Innocence Project; her clients are often legally guilty, and often of terrible crimes. Rather, her job is to spend hundreds of hours per case talking to the parents, siblings, teachers, and neighbors of a defendant, situating their crimes in context.
Founder and director of nonprofit mitigation team Advancing Real Change Inc., Vartkessian weaves powerful, gripping stories from her extraordinary career into an inspiring argument for dignity in American justice. Her unique experience has taught her that when personal or generational trauma enters the body, it finds its way out eventually, sometimes through violence. She contends that we cannot hold her clients solely responsible for their actions, nor can we continue to stomach harsh penalties that deny real justice to perpetrators and victims alike.
Amid the Trump administration’s record-high executions and calls to expand the use of the death penalty after decades of progress, The Deserving is required reading for a dangerous new era of rollbacks. Vartkessian offers a compelling, hope-filled vision of true rehabilitation replacing retribution.
“We need the work that is mitigation. It is mercy work.” —Sister Helen Prejean
Elizabeth Vartkessian works with criminal defense teams as a mitigation specialist. She isn’t part of the Innocence Project; her clients are often legally guilty, and often of terrible crimes. Rather, her job is to spend hundreds of hours per case talking to the parents, siblings, teachers, and neighbors of a defendant, situating their crimes in context.
Founder and director of nonprofit mitigation team Advancing Real Change Inc., Vartkessian weaves powerful, gripping stories from her extraordinary career into an inspiring argument for dignity in American justice. Her unique experience has taught her that when personal or generational trauma enters the body, it finds its way out eventually, sometimes through violence. She contends that we cannot hold her clients solely responsible for their actions, nor can we continue to stomach harsh penalties that deny real justice to perpetrators and victims alike.
Amid the Trump administration’s record-high executions and calls to expand the use of the death penalty after decades of progress, The Deserving is required reading for a dangerous new era of rollbacks. Vartkessian offers a compelling, hope-filled vision of true rehabilitation replacing retribution.
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First published January 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 11, 2025
“rather than asking what punishment someone deserved, such an impossible question to extract from our own cultural biases. Why not ask ‘what would it take to return this person successfully to the community?’”
February 1, 2026
Really good but some of it got a little boring. Important read tho.
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February 11, 2026The subtitle tells you you're going to hear some tough stories, and you certainly do. But the tough parts may not be where you first thought they'd be. Vartkessian shares her life as a mitigation specialist, working with defense teams to understand the mitigating factors that contributed to their client's alleged or convicted crime.
Going beyond "an eye for an eye", Varkessian posits that all of the money spent on putting people to death in America could be better spent on preventing the factors that lead the guilty (some are not) to commit their crimes. She points out the unsettlingly common threads in the childhoods of so many on death row and how addressing those issues could give youth the lifelines they need to develop loving, positive relationships that would break the generational trauma and neglect that is prevalent in the backgrounds of the convicted. She also speaks to the personhood that is stripped from the convicted, especially those on death row, and argues that providing all inmates with avenues to grow and develop human connections could reduce prison violence and recidivism.
That said, this is not academic research. Vartkessian is speaking to her experience interpreted through her personal social justice lens. But it gave me pause. I don't agree with everything she says, but everything she says is worth considering, especially given how the current system has a lot of room for improvement.
Going beyond "an eye for an eye", Varkessian posits that all of the money spent on putting people to death in America could be better spent on preventing the factors that lead the guilty (some are not) to commit their crimes. She points out the unsettlingly common threads in the childhoods of so many on death row and how addressing those issues could give youth the lifelines they need to develop loving, positive relationships that would break the generational trauma and neglect that is prevalent in the backgrounds of the convicted. She also speaks to the personhood that is stripped from the convicted, especially those on death row, and argues that providing all inmates with avenues to grow and develop human connections could reduce prison violence and recidivism.
That said, this is not academic research. Vartkessian is speaking to her experience interpreted through her personal social justice lens. But it gave me pause. I don't agree with everything she says, but everything she says is worth considering, especially given how the current system has a lot of room for improvement.
March 4, 2026
This book is written by a mitigation specialist whose job is to spend hundreds of hours on each case talking to the parents, siblings, teachers, and neighbors of a defendant, painting a fuller picture of their lives and past traumas.
I truly feel this is necessary reading for all Americans, regardless of their stance on the death penalty. Elizabeth Vartkessian’s book provides unique insight into our current justice system and reminds us that there is always an opportunity to build something better—and that there is always hope.
I truly feel this is necessary reading for all Americans, regardless of their stance on the death penalty. Elizabeth Vartkessian’s book provides unique insight into our current justice system and reminds us that there is always an opportunity to build something better—and that there is always hope.
February 12, 2026
Holy wow.
This was so invigorating. Liz’s clients are guilty of heinous crimes, but the justice system does not see the whole picture— the humanity, the trauma and loss and abuse of those who commit violent acts. No one is born a murderer.
This begs the question, instead of spending the millions of dollars it takes to litigate a capital punishment, up until the moment time of death is called, what if the money had been poured into him as a child, with support and care and access to food and shelter and a safe community? (If you disagree with me you haven’t talked to me about it and I’ll tell u all the things I know).
When the largest mental health providers in the country are the county jails, something’s fucked.
I had the honor of attending one of Liz’s trainings a few months back. It was fascinating. There are no people with the drive and grit and empathetic passion like Liz and her team. Liz, you rock, this was fab
This was so invigorating. Liz’s clients are guilty of heinous crimes, but the justice system does not see the whole picture— the humanity, the trauma and loss and abuse of those who commit violent acts. No one is born a murderer.
This begs the question, instead of spending the millions of dollars it takes to litigate a capital punishment, up until the moment time of death is called, what if the money had been poured into him as a child, with support and care and access to food and shelter and a safe community? (If you disagree with me you haven’t talked to me about it and I’ll tell u all the things I know).
When the largest mental health providers in the country are the county jails, something’s fucked.
I had the honor of attending one of Liz’s trainings a few months back. It was fascinating. There are no people with the drive and grit and empathetic passion like Liz and her team. Liz, you rock, this was fab
February 11, 2026
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the criminal legal system and/or capital punishment. I am a capital post-conviction attorney that only recently started doing capital work. I learned so much from this book. Vartkessian does an amazing job weaving in stories of actual clients to explain how people can end up committing terrible crimes while also exposing systemic issues that are pervasive in death penalty cases. The stories of her clients brought me to tears and emphasized why the work of mitigation specialists is so important. She brings humanity to the voice of the clients while never ignoring the impacts her clients had on others. I applaud her work as a mitigation specialist and with ARC and writing this book to bring her work to a broader audience.
January 24, 2026
What a tragic read. The death penalty is the state inflicting such unimaginable and undeserving cruelty on some of the most traumatized individuals just for the sake of being cruel. The fact that a trial in this country can conclude a person should be put to death without ever hearing any mitigating factors about the defendant's life or reasons for why they might have been knowing or unknowingly compelled to do the act is an injustice of the highest degree. Anyways, end the death penalty. It's barbaric and horrible. I think I'll remember this book for a very long time and if heaven is real, the author is definitely going.
February 6, 2026
Before you think that the death penalty is a cut and dry issue I challenge you to listen to this book. Told with candor and sensitive poignancy this book will challenge you to look at the lives of those condemned to death as a totality of their whole lives not just a snippet of crime. It definitely challenged the way I see our justice system and goes hand in hand with the book What Happened To You.
March 15, 2026
insightful, though I did not agree with all of the author's views.
December 2, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC to review.
I’m not sure what I expected from this. Sometimes I find criminal justice books to be very preachy. They can get bogged down in lingo. The author rises above this and provides something that is more than readable - it’s impossible to stop reading. Elizabeth Vartkessian makes her arguments for criminal justice reform by simply letting people’s stories speak for themselves. And these stories speak volumes. The reader finds themselves moving through many emotions - anger, hope, frustration, and optimism. But this is part of our messy lives of being human, right? Every person is complicated. Ultimately, though, we fight the ills of society and criminal justice in America through connection. It’s a simple conclusion from a book that demonstrates nothing is simple.
I’m not sure what I expected from this. Sometimes I find criminal justice books to be very preachy. They can get bogged down in lingo. The author rises above this and provides something that is more than readable - it’s impossible to stop reading. Elizabeth Vartkessian makes her arguments for criminal justice reform by simply letting people’s stories speak for themselves. And these stories speak volumes. The reader finds themselves moving through many emotions - anger, hope, frustration, and optimism. But this is part of our messy lives of being human, right? Every person is complicated. Ultimately, though, we fight the ills of society and criminal justice in America through connection. It’s a simple conclusion from a book that demonstrates nothing is simple.
Review of advance copy
this is an interesting look at the justice system and the author focuses a lot on the lives of the perpetrators that may have led to the crime but very little on the victims. I am not one that likes the death penalty, and I agree we need preventative solutions but I don't like the waving away of the horrors they committed.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
The author of The Deserving is a mitigation specialist whose job is to uncover those mitigating factors in cases where the death penalty may have been unfairly used. She shares several cases she has been part of that highlight her feelings and position about death sentences, and life sentences for that matter. Some of it is hard to read. And no matter where you stand on the issue, you might need to sit down to read it.
In this book, all the perpetrators in the profiled cases are guilty. That’s never a question. The question is this: What would it have taken for them to NOT have committed the crime? The author argues that true criminal justice reform requires a complete overhaul of our society and social structures. Safe housing, proper schools, safe communities with police that don’t shoot unarmed people, access to basic needs like food and healthcare (including mental healthcare), reliable and affordable childcare, safe and timely immigration and asylum programs, reliable sentencing of criminals to keep abusers and sexual abusers out of the community, and many other things are simply not there. What must a person or a family have to do if even one of those things aren’t available? And if they aren’t, if all those social structures aren’t in place so that all humans can reach their potential, if there are mitigating factors, how can we sentence someone to death when society has failed them? The death penalty is a failed and costly public policy that isn’t fairly given and does not deter crime or promote safety in any way. That last sentence isn’t just her opinion; it is a fact, with proven research behind it. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Bloomsbury Audio, Elizabeth Vartkessian (author), Edelweiss, and Libro.fm for providing an advance digital review copy and an advance listening copy (narrated by the author) of The Deserving. Their generosity did not influence my review in any way.
In this book, all the perpetrators in the profiled cases are guilty. That’s never a question. The question is this: What would it have taken for them to NOT have committed the crime? The author argues that true criminal justice reform requires a complete overhaul of our society and social structures. Safe housing, proper schools, safe communities with police that don’t shoot unarmed people, access to basic needs like food and healthcare (including mental healthcare), reliable and affordable childcare, safe and timely immigration and asylum programs, reliable sentencing of criminals to keep abusers and sexual abusers out of the community, and many other things are simply not there. What must a person or a family have to do if even one of those things aren’t available? And if they aren’t, if all those social structures aren’t in place so that all humans can reach their potential, if there are mitigating factors, how can we sentence someone to death when society has failed them? The death penalty is a failed and costly public policy that isn’t fairly given and does not deter crime or promote safety in any way. That last sentence isn’t just her opinion; it is a fact, with proven research behind it. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Bloomsbury Audio, Elizabeth Vartkessian (author), Edelweiss, and Libro.fm for providing an advance digital review copy and an advance listening copy (narrated by the author) of The Deserving. Their generosity did not influence my review in any way.
January 31, 2026
This book examines the lives of incarcerated individuals and argues that childhood trauma, abuse, poverty, and systemic inequities—particularly for people of color—play a significant role in who ends up in prison. The author also critiques the justice system’s use of executions, suggesting that those resources would be better spent on mental health support, a point I strongly agree with, as access to mental health care is essential and often lacking. At the same time, while I appreciate the book’s emphasis on empathy and structural failures, I personally believe that trauma and inequality can help explain behavior but do not excuse it. Having experienced trauma, abuse, and poverty myself, I believe personal accountability still matters, even within an unjust system. I also struggled with the book’s implication that higher conviction rates for people of color are a cause of criminal behavior rather than a reflection of bias in policing and sentencing. Overall, this is a thought-provoking and emotionally challenging read that raises important questions about justice, responsibility, and how society responds to harm, even when readers may not agree with every conclusion.
December 8, 2025
I studied health promotion in college and most of my classes related to my major talked about health disparities, like no access to affordable fresh foods, drug use, access to education, and their impact on public health. This book describes another natural conclusion to those disparities. I don’t want to say that I “enjoyed” this book because the concepts and realities it details are heartbreaking and should not exist, but the way that it was written did not sugar coat anything and yet was so completely human and filled with love for humanity. It’s really hard to have hope when it’s so clear that the systems have been created for such horrors not just to occur but to support more horrors for the profit of the few, but Elizabeth and people like her doing the difficult work AND ALSO taking the additional time and effort to share those stories give me so much hope. Thank you for the work that you do and for sharing these stories and observations.
(And also thanks to libro.fm, Elizabeth Vartkessian, and Bloomsbury publishing for the ALC)
(And also thanks to libro.fm, Elizabeth Vartkessian, and Bloomsbury publishing for the ALC)
February 26, 2026
I feel the need to start with the caveat that I know the author but that has not impacted my view of the book.
The Deserving is an important read. But more than that it’s a great read. How often do we see books written about the people society would rather us forget? Here there are many. And the stories of those around them. We take such little notice of the ripple effect of the criminal legal system. This is especially true for the defendant and their family. This book shows the full human experience around crimes. That they do not occur in a vacuum.
The author brings the fullness of life into the light. It’ll make you reflect on your own life as you live snippets of someone else’s. Liz’s care for her clients is infectious and obvious. This is not a book of exploitation but one of exploration. It’ll pose big questions that leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the last page.
The Deserving is an important read. But more than that it’s a great read. How often do we see books written about the people society would rather us forget? Here there are many. And the stories of those around them. We take such little notice of the ripple effect of the criminal legal system. This is especially true for the defendant and their family. This book shows the full human experience around crimes. That they do not occur in a vacuum.
The author brings the fullness of life into the light. It’ll make you reflect on your own life as you live snippets of someone else’s. Liz’s care for her clients is infectious and obvious. This is not a book of exploitation but one of exploration. It’ll pose big questions that leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the last page.
March 9, 2026
Really hard to read.. Up until this point, I broadly believed in the use of capital punishment as a deterrent for heinous crimes. Having been raised in a rather sheltered environment, I hadn't considered the extent of systemic oppression and generational trauma that envelope underserved communities. The points fleshed out eerily point towards the birth of a eugenics / social darwinism movement. It brings to mind the early 20th century episode where forced sterilizations and restrictive immigration laws targeting "undesirable" groups were imposed to (mistakenly) improve genetics.
Equally sad and telling to think we're still facilitating these conversations in an era where gen AI can give you a play-by-play on the roles of nature vs. nurture in criminal behaviour, which should objectively lead to a more humane indictment approach. The through-line I kept coming back to: violence begets violence — on the street and in the courtroom.
Equally sad and telling to think we're still facilitating these conversations in an era where gen AI can give you a play-by-play on the roles of nature vs. nurture in criminal behaviour, which should objectively lead to a more humane indictment approach. The through-line I kept coming back to: violence begets violence — on the street and in the courtroom.
March 25, 2026
Hey,
I came across your story recently and really enjoyed reading it. Your writing paints such clear images in the mind, and it made the story feel very cinematic. Because of that, I couldn’t help but imagine how amazing it could look as a webtoon or comic.
I’m a commissioned comic artist, and I’d love to create visuals inspired by your story if that’s something you'd ever be interested in exploring. Absolutely no pressure, I simply wanted to reach out because your story left a great impression on me.
If you'd ever like to chat about the idea, you can reach me on Instagram (lunaartsoul).
Best regards,
Luna
I came across your story recently and really enjoyed reading it. Your writing paints such clear images in the mind, and it made the story feel very cinematic. Because of that, I couldn’t help but imagine how amazing it could look as a webtoon or comic.
I’m a commissioned comic artist, and I’d love to create visuals inspired by your story if that’s something you'd ever be interested in exploring. Absolutely no pressure, I simply wanted to reach out because your story left a great impression on me.
If you'd ever like to chat about the idea, you can reach me on Instagram (lunaartsoul).
Best regards,
Luna
December 18, 2025
This true account shares powerful stories that challenge us to consider rehabilitation instead of retribution. Elizabeth Vartkessian does a fantastic job sharing heartbreaking stories in a way that makes the importance of her mission unmistakable. I really learned a lot from this book. As a mitigation expert striving for meaningful reform in the American legal system, Vartkessian is a powerful advocate for dignity and genuine rehabilitation. Her deep love for people shines through every story and makes for an unforgettable read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book was eye opening and is such an important read in today’s world. The author takes us deeper into the lives and circumstances of people sentenced to be executed. She shows compassion and is honest about the circumstances that lead to where these individuals are now. She describes how she feels when she learns an execution has been carried out or when it’s postponed or it changes to life without. There is a human side to everything in life and this book truly shows that. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 13, 2026
Wow this tied in so many aspects of public health and the justice system while still teaching me about something I had never heard about - mitigation specialists. I really appreciate the authors commitment to her job and how she portrayed this throughout the book. It was inspiring and heartwarming to learn about each of her clients and who they are beyond their sentences. This humanization of her clients could provide a lot of perspective to many people in our country right now.
February 15, 2026
This is a well written glimpse into a part of the death penalty system that is never spoken about. Jurors need to weigh not just the crime committed but the humanity or lack of humanity for the offender before assigning them to death. We are not just the worst thing we have ever done. We are not just the best thing we have ever done either.
However, not everyone can have a second chance. A serial killer lacks empathy and humanity. They do not need to be given a chance to be released.
However, not everyone can have a second chance. A serial killer lacks empathy and humanity. They do not need to be given a chance to be released.
January 14, 2026
A very important book. If we want to fix violence, we must also look at what the violence stems from: poverty, mis- or undiagnosed mental health issues, generational abuse and neglect. I work in the jail and from my personal experience, seen firsthand the issues with our criminal justice system called out by the author.
January 30, 2026
Thank you so much to the author for shedding light upon one of the little known facets of the criminal justice/sentencing aspect.
This book will make you cry, yell, and wonder how the United States really thinks about justice.
I hope that she continues the work and will be the champion for the victims and the defendants in the future.
This book will make you cry, yell, and wonder how the United States really thinks about justice.
I hope that she continues the work and will be the champion for the victims and the defendants in the future.
February 24, 2026
Incredible book from start to finish. Loved it!!! The storytelling is beautiful. An unflinching look at the machinery of death in our country and the real people ensnared within it. Liz is a great leader in our field, as this book well demonstrates. I’m so glad she’s out there writing to share our work as a scholar and a visionary.
Review of advance copy
As a mitigation expert, Elizabeth Vartkessian does a fantastic job sharing cases and the need for criminal justice reform in a dignified and thought provoking way.
Thank you to Libro.fm and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ALC.
Thank you to Libro.fm and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ALC.
January 27, 2026
This weekend (thank you, snow day), I listened to The Deserving. Vartkessian writes about the role of a Mitigator. Her work is fascinating and necessary. We need to do more to help our communities to reduce the world of hunger, poverty, and lack of resources so many of our neighbors grow up in.
March 3, 2026
Heart wrenching. A peek behind the curtain at the inherent cruelty, dehumanization, and lack of support for America’s poorest. Unbelievable that anyone on either side of the political spectrum believes that the government should have the power and authority to execute people.
December 22, 2025
Very important book.
January 28, 2026
Such an eye opening and insightful piece of literature. It was equally harrowing and moving to learn about current death row practices.
February 6, 2026
Today, I didn't appreciate the reflection in the mirror of who we have become as a nation. Incredibly powerful book. Thank you for sharing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews