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Voice of Witness
Surviving Justice: America's Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated
After spending years behind bars, hundreds of men and women with incontrovertible proof of their innocence (including 120 from death row) have been released from America's prisons. They were wrongfully convicted because of problems that plague many criminal proceedings: inept defense lawyers, overzealous prosecutors, deceitful and coercive interrogation tactics, bad science, snitches, and eyewitness misidentification. The lives of these victims of the U.S. criminal justice system were effectively wrecked. Finally free, usually after more than a decade of incarceration, they re-enter society with nothing but the scars from a harrowing descent into prison only to struggle to survive on the outside.
The thirteen men and women portrayed here, and the hundreds of others who have been exonerated, are the tip of the iceberg. There are countless others (thousands by all estimates) who are in prison today for crimes they did not commit. These are the stories of some of the wrongfully convicted, who have managed, often by sheer luck, to prove their innocence. Their stories are spellbinding, heartbreaking, unimaginable, and ultimately inspiring. After reading these deeply personal accounts, you will never look at the criminal justice system the same way. (from the publisher's website)
The thirteen men and women portrayed here, and the hundreds of others who have been exonerated, are the tip of the iceberg. There are countless others (thousands by all estimates) who are in prison today for crimes they did not commit. These are the stories of some of the wrongfully convicted, who have managed, often by sheer luck, to prove their innocence. Their stories are spellbinding, heartbreaking, unimaginable, and ultimately inspiring. After reading these deeply personal accounts, you will never look at the criminal justice system the same way. (from the publisher's website)
469 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2005
31 people are currently reading
1309 people want to read
About the author
Dave Eggers
341 books9,513 followersDave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is also the founder of several notable literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition. His writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 9, 2008
I finished this book up on the side of the road with a flat tire while waiting to be rescued. I immediately suspected every kind soul who stopped to offer help as my potential murderer... or, even worse, the person I would somehow be wrongfully accused of murdering.
As a long-time fan of Law & Order, it was strange to suddenly see police work as just one more awful form of bureaucracy. The race to move a case into the solved files without even bothering to make sure you've convicted the right person was not only sickening, but showed terrifying flaws in out justice system.
As a long-time fan of Law & Order, it was strange to suddenly see police work as just one more awful form of bureaucracy. The race to move a case into the solved files without even bothering to make sure you've convicted the right person was not only sickening, but showed terrifying flaws in out justice system.
January 18, 2009
The three stars I bestowed upon this book don't fully express my feelings about it, so a little elaboration: The book is a dozen first-person narratives of men and one woman wrongly accused and convicted of major felonies and who were later exonerated thanks mainly to dedicated Innocence Project attorneys and law students or their own studies of the law while incarcerated.
Each tells his story, from general life bio to arrest to trial to prison to release. The reason I gave it only the three stars was that reading the actual stories got a bit tedious when read one after the other. I would highly recommend that one who reads this book read no more than two of the narratives in a row, so that each one can be appreciated fully because each of these stories on its own is so tragic to be barely believable. Also, interspersed throughout the chronicles are sidebars on pertinent legal, social, and psychological issues.
When I was reading the book, my dad asked what it was and when I told him he joked that it was "more liberal propaganda." While the stories of those who have been most wronged by the US Justice System could be construed to be "liberal propaganda," that is not at all how the book comes across. The exonerated vary greatly in their anger against and their belief in the justice system, but the overall sentiment seems to me to be that all is not hopeless, the system can be, if not fixed, greatly improved. I highly recommend reading this book alongside David Simon's HOMICIDE for an even more encompassing view of the flaws and dangers of the bureaucracy of justice.
Each tells his story, from general life bio to arrest to trial to prison to release. The reason I gave it only the three stars was that reading the actual stories got a bit tedious when read one after the other. I would highly recommend that one who reads this book read no more than two of the narratives in a row, so that each one can be appreciated fully because each of these stories on its own is so tragic to be barely believable. Also, interspersed throughout the chronicles are sidebars on pertinent legal, social, and psychological issues.
When I was reading the book, my dad asked what it was and when I told him he joked that it was "more liberal propaganda." While the stories of those who have been most wronged by the US Justice System could be construed to be "liberal propaganda," that is not at all how the book comes across. The exonerated vary greatly in their anger against and their belief in the justice system, but the overall sentiment seems to me to be that all is not hopeless, the system can be, if not fixed, greatly improved. I highly recommend reading this book alongside David Simon's HOMICIDE for an even more encompassing view of the flaws and dangers of the bureaucracy of justice.
March 2, 2018
The availability of DNA testing has proven that too many innocent people are locked up for crimes they didn't commit, spending their prime years in cells with no one believing their claims of innocence. Surviving Justice brings together the stories of 13 innocent men and women, in their own words, many of whom were exonerated and released because of exculpatory DNA tests after collectively serving dozens of years . You think to yourself, 'This could never happen to me. I'm a good person and I've never had any problems with the law!' Most of the contributors would've thought the same.
These stories highlight the potential stages at which the system fails the accused: indifferent and incompetent defense lawyers assigned to the indigent, cops who manhandle victims and coerce erroneous statements, imprisoned snitches looking for leniency from prosecutors, police departments negligently handling evidence, the reliance on unscientifically reliable tests, and police room interrogations that manipulate the accused to extract false confessions. Justice can easily break down at each of these nodes, and being black or brown or poor leaves you with fewer institutional resources to prove your innocence.
This book is heartbreaking. While it's certainly the minority of convicted who are guiltless, a system that so casually allows so many innocent people to be stripped of their lives and futures is reprehensible. Their stories underscore just how disinterested many of the actors in the justice system are in actually achieving justice. They might wait for years before DNA evidence is allowed into the case, and could languish in prison for months despite a judge's vacating order simply because it was 'untimely' politically.
A roundtable of 6 exonerees was held and written up, which allowed for freer conversation among the participants, but seemed to recycle a lot of the material included in their personal autobiographies which comprise the bulk of the book. I didn't find this section to be particularly illuminating above and beyond the personal writings.
Appendix A is highly recommended, and addresses a range of causes for wrongful conviction. The book adopts the unconventional method of liberally sprinkling footnotes with references to these entries throughout the book, which I particularly liked and found useful. For example, a participant in their personal memoir will describe an interrogation encounter with the police, and the reader is helpfully informed that a backgrounder on interrogations is available on page 4XX.
These stories highlight the potential stages at which the system fails the accused: indifferent and incompetent defense lawyers assigned to the indigent, cops who manhandle victims and coerce erroneous statements, imprisoned snitches looking for leniency from prosecutors, police departments negligently handling evidence, the reliance on unscientifically reliable tests, and police room interrogations that manipulate the accused to extract false confessions. Justice can easily break down at each of these nodes, and being black or brown or poor leaves you with fewer institutional resources to prove your innocence.
This book is heartbreaking. While it's certainly the minority of convicted who are guiltless, a system that so casually allows so many innocent people to be stripped of their lives and futures is reprehensible. Their stories underscore just how disinterested many of the actors in the justice system are in actually achieving justice. They might wait for years before DNA evidence is allowed into the case, and could languish in prison for months despite a judge's vacating order simply because it was 'untimely' politically.
A roundtable of 6 exonerees was held and written up, which allowed for freer conversation among the participants, but seemed to recycle a lot of the material included in their personal autobiographies which comprise the bulk of the book. I didn't find this section to be particularly illuminating above and beyond the personal writings.
Appendix A is highly recommended, and addresses a range of causes for wrongful conviction. The book adopts the unconventional method of liberally sprinkling footnotes with references to these entries throughout the book, which I particularly liked and found useful. For example, a participant in their personal memoir will describe an interrogation encounter with the police, and the reader is helpfully informed that a backgrounder on interrogations is available on page 4XX.
February 11, 2010
I am sure I'm not alone in being fascinated with stories of the wrongfully accused. Those people that have their lives completely ruined or even ended for a hideous crime they had nothing to do with. So when I saw this book at 826 Valencia, there was no way I could pass it up. When I bought it, I had just finished Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, and had rekindled my love for him. I also knew that there was no fiction that could be more compelling than the stories of the individuals in this book.
I have so much respect for the approach the editors took in this book. They made a point of saying that the book was written to appeal to a wide range of individuals, from a highschool student to a PhD working in the criminal justice system; from a liberal to a conservative. If I was in highschool now & reading this book, I'm quite sure I'd want to go to law school and work for the Innocence Project. I have always been horrified by the death penalty and if these stories don't give death penalty advocates pause - then I don't know what can. The most generous thing I can say about the criminal justice system is that it's deeply flawed. That there are people on all sides of the equation whose motives may not have best of intentions, for neither the victim/victim's family nor the accused. (Consider grandmother, sent to jail for the death of her boyfriend who'd clearly committed suicide. The ladder-climbing D.A. told her that he was going to make her out to be the black widow spider of all time.)
I highly recommend the book, even just to pick up to read a few chapters here and there. There is no need to read the book from cover to cover, as I did. You may even get more from it by reading a few of the 10 or so chapters (each focused on one individual's story).
I have so much respect for the approach the editors took in this book. They made a point of saying that the book was written to appeal to a wide range of individuals, from a highschool student to a PhD working in the criminal justice system; from a liberal to a conservative. If I was in highschool now & reading this book, I'm quite sure I'd want to go to law school and work for the Innocence Project. I have always been horrified by the death penalty and if these stories don't give death penalty advocates pause - then I don't know what can. The most generous thing I can say about the criminal justice system is that it's deeply flawed. That there are people on all sides of the equation whose motives may not have best of intentions, for neither the victim/victim's family nor the accused. (Consider grandmother, sent to jail for the death of her boyfriend who'd clearly committed suicide. The ladder-climbing D.A. told her that he was going to make her out to be the black widow spider of all time.)
I highly recommend the book, even just to pick up to read a few chapters here and there. There is no need to read the book from cover to cover, as I did. You may even get more from it by reading a few of the 10 or so chapters (each focused on one individual's story).
March 16, 2011
A life-changing read for anyone who thinks our criminal justice system is fair & effective. For someone like me, who was already aware of how broken it is, this book simply reaffirmed my disapproval of the justice system and our prisons. Appalling first-hand accounts from the wrongfully convicted, including sidebars containing interesting facts & stats. A fascinating, yet agonizing read. It made me rethink going to law school, just so that I can get involved in the Innocence Project here in Oregon.
December 1, 2017
This book is comprised of first person narratives of wrongfully imprisoned individuals. Some of it is really depressing - a lot of the people had a huge portion of their life taken away. I was amazed at how many of the people channeled their anger into positive outlets, and how their general life outlook is pretty positive, aside from their terrible experience.
Also, this book is very readable because you can read them narrative by narrative and stop here and there and not lose the thread! (Good for transit and lunchtime readers for sure)
Also, this book is very readable because you can read them narrative by narrative and stop here and there and not lose the thread! (Good for transit and lunchtime readers for sure)
June 22, 2009
This book was life changing. First hand accounts of those who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. It does make you wary of our legal system, but for the better, I think. Please read this book!
December 22, 2007
Extremely informative response to the question: How do innocent people end up in prison?
March 22, 2009
this book demonstrates the problems of the criminal injustice system. The prison industrial complex needs a major overhaul!
May 8, 2009
This book shows holes in the justice system through first-person accounts. Very interesting and thought-provoking.
March 1, 2011
This book will wreck you.
August 16, 2013
A must read.
October 16, 2025
This book is pretty good. Although, once you get the format and patterns down, certain parts aren't really memorable while others stay with you long after finishing the book due to the way the wrongfully incarcerated people tell their stories. Honestly, the more literate or well-versed storytellers in this book really pop out. Like the first guy who is a law student, the guy who became addicted to his prison's library and got a degree, and the upper class white lady with a lawyer daughter. Their stories were amazing.
This book highlights how justice is often miscarried. They have a list of different factors that cause wrongful convictions, but they include:
1.Unethical methods to get a confession,
2. A lack of a decent defense lawyer, OR
3. More funding and resources dedicated to the prosecution, which allows them to train and dress up black witnesses while black witnesses for the defense do not have the resources dedicated to making them look presentable to the courts.+
Main takeaway from the book: If government agent ever start suspecting you for a crime, try to reshape past circumstances to make you belong to a crime scene, or start getting you to doubt your own recollection of events, stop cooperating and get a good lawyer. Cops are agents of the state and while theoretically the state should have your best-interests at heart, sometimes it is more interested in preserving its reputation by quickly resolving open criminal cases, whether they have the right person or not. The prosecutor and judge's incentives for convictions of promotions and higher levels of reputation push them in this direction as well. As a result, do not strike out on your own. You have way too much skin in the game. Lawyers are not just for guilty people. They will help you get a fair shake. Only naive people believe that the American justice system is innately fair without effort on your part.
This book highlights how justice is often miscarried. They have a list of different factors that cause wrongful convictions, but they include:
1.Unethical methods to get a confession,
2. A lack of a decent defense lawyer, OR
3. More funding and resources dedicated to the prosecution, which allows them to train and dress up black witnesses while black witnesses for the defense do not have the resources dedicated to making them look presentable to the courts.+
Main takeaway from the book: If government agent ever start suspecting you for a crime, try to reshape past circumstances to make you belong to a crime scene, or start getting you to doubt your own recollection of events, stop cooperating and get a good lawyer. Cops are agents of the state and while theoretically the state should have your best-interests at heart, sometimes it is more interested in preserving its reputation by quickly resolving open criminal cases, whether they have the right person or not. The prosecutor and judge's incentives for convictions of promotions and higher levels of reputation push them in this direction as well. As a result, do not strike out on your own. You have way too much skin in the game. Lawyers are not just for guilty people. They will help you get a fair shake. Only naive people believe that the American justice system is innately fair without effort on your part.
December 31, 2019
I've never been so infuriated by a book, or wished karmic hell on so many authority figures. What a broken, awful judicial system we've created in this country. And sadly ours is still better than most.
March 28, 2024
The book started my passion for wrongful conviction. Stories from people of all walks of life who were convicted of crimes they didn't commit. It's a book that will shock and anger you. As it should.
June 21, 2020
Brilliant & heart-wrenching look into experiences of those who have experienced the injustice of the "justice" system in America.
September 27, 2020
Long but is a very fast read.
January 7, 2015
An insight into the lives of Americans who had been wrongfully convicted and subsequently exonerated.
It's a topic that's taboo.
This book tells the stories of, and reveals the psychological toll of the wrongfully incarcerated. Imagine spending 17 years behind bars for a crime you did not commit? You weren't even at the crime scene nor did you know the victim. And no one believes your innocence despite the evidence. Seeing you family torn apart, the life you lead destroyed, your possessions lost as you fight endless legal battles. Only to be exonerated by indisputable DNA evidence. Surviving Justice is where the 'good guys' are the perpetrators and the 'bad guys' are the victims.
Why these people were wrongly incarcerated and the holes in the system that allowed it to happen are revealed in the footnotes.
Surviving Justice is one from a serious that documents the stories and woes of those caught in difficult situations, refugees, Guantanamo detainees, etc. An interesting read and an opportunity to the hear the stories of those who reemerge after disappearing from society.
It's a topic that's taboo.
This book tells the stories of, and reveals the psychological toll of the wrongfully incarcerated. Imagine spending 17 years behind bars for a crime you did not commit? You weren't even at the crime scene nor did you know the victim. And no one believes your innocence despite the evidence. Seeing you family torn apart, the life you lead destroyed, your possessions lost as you fight endless legal battles. Only to be exonerated by indisputable DNA evidence. Surviving Justice is where the 'good guys' are the perpetrators and the 'bad guys' are the victims.
Why these people were wrongly incarcerated and the holes in the system that allowed it to happen are revealed in the footnotes.
Surviving Justice is one from a serious that documents the stories and woes of those caught in difficult situations, refugees, Guantanamo detainees, etc. An interesting read and an opportunity to the hear the stories of those who reemerge after disappearing from society.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2016
This was an eye opener. You certainly can be convicted of a crime even if you never did it in this country and it happens more times then I care to see. The collective amount of time these people served for crimes they did not commit is heart breaking. No one is immune. The story of the woman with a master's degree in Organic Chemistry that served time for a murder she did not commit is scary. Black men are disproportianally affected, but there are examples here of people from other races serving time for crimes they did not commit. This book highlights the weaknesses in our justice system. It should be required reading for any new police recruit or law student. It is a quick read, though it took me a while because I was busy with other things.
August 17, 2012
This is a book from a four-part series that I bought from McSweeney's. Surviving Justice is a compilation of narratives from individuals convicted of crimes they didn't commit. Each story is powerful and yet disturbing all at the same time. The reader is left wondering how and why could this happen. Many of the individuals featured in this compilation were wrongly convicted and imprisoned for fifteen or more years. That is outrageous! In any event, each narrative presents the before, during and after the exoneration. Finding out what each individual did upon release from prison was most gratifying to read.
April 6, 2018
Interesting oral histories from people who have been wrongly sent to prison and eventually been release after many, many years. Its pretty scary how easily it can happen, but because of the format there are times you feel it doesn’t investigate or follow up some areas. Also, as the participants are actively involved it doesn't touch too much on the people who you would imagine feel more introverted after the experience.
There are some general notes at the back, but they generally feel like extended foot notes.
There are some general notes at the back, but they generally feel like extended foot notes.
April 8, 2008
Four instead of five stars due to the confusing layout of the book. Sidebars are stuck in the middle of the people's stories; the book is not well-organized. HOWEVER...the stories are expressed in the victims' own words, and their tone will shatter you. They will also make you queasy and frankly ought to scare the shit out of you. Wrongful conviction could happen to anyone. It could even happen to you!
October 17, 2008
I have so far read half of this book and it inspired me to volunteer for Voice of Witness by transcribing and translating a few interviews.
These interviews seriously made me think twice about the death penalty and how the judicial system works for those who are not fully aware of their rights. I would encourage everyone to read this just so that it can open up people's mind to the idea that wrongful convictions are possible and are more common that you would think.
These interviews seriously made me think twice about the death penalty and how the judicial system works for those who are not fully aware of their rights. I would encourage everyone to read this just so that it can open up people's mind to the idea that wrongful convictions are possible and are more common that you would think.
July 30, 2008
I think i'll buy this book for my step-father-in-law for christmas. Him and I both love sad stories of the system gone wrong and how people are surviving it and fighting for good.
As a side note, I just love Dave Egger's commitment to oral history and all of his side projects where he is helping oral history and journalism draw attention to human rights crisis. I want to read every book in this series.
As a side note, I just love Dave Egger's commitment to oral history and all of his side projects where he is helping oral history and journalism draw attention to human rights crisis. I want to read every book in this series.
February 11, 2009
I enjoy reading oral histories and 'Surviving Justice' presents twelve very moving, poignant and compelling first-person narratives of people wrongly imprisoned for years/decades, who were finally exonerated. I recommend this book to anyone interested in justice.
For those with an interest, I would also recommend the excellent (2005) documentary 'After Innocence,'; which is available from/at www.Netflix.com on dvd or instant on-line play.
For those with an interest, I would also recommend the excellent (2005) documentary 'After Innocence,'; which is available from/at www.Netflix.com on dvd or instant on-line play.
February 3, 2015
For those about to read this book, it should be noted that this focuses on the corruption of the judicial system, and brushes on prison conditions. The appendices are worth flipping through. All in all, a highly important book to reflect how our justice system can pick a target, and if you are picked you are in guilty.
January 24, 2016
How can you trust the integrity of law enforcement in the U.S. after reading this book? The horrors of the U.S. penal system are magnified for those who are wrongfully convicted. Sadly, the society doesn't go far enough to atone to those have been exonerated for the many wasted years of their lives.
September 27, 2019
I wouldn’t say it was a bad book, it just wasn’t what I wanted it to be I guess. Most of what I wanted to read was what was in the appendices, and that was brief. That said, I do think it’s important for these people’s stories to be told and heard so it was important to me to read them all even though they didn’t have a lot of the “how on earth can this happen?” info that I wanted more of.
February 18, 2010
A compilation of moving first-person interviews with good supplemental sidebars, articles and appendixes about some of the monumental failures and continuing corruption of the "criminal justice" system.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews