The Power of Dignity: How Transforming Justice Can Heal Our Communities

by Judge Victoria Pratt

A renowned judge  What would criminal justice look like if we put respect at the center?  The Black and Latina daughter of a working-class family, Victoria Pratt learned to treat everyone with dignity, no matter their background. When she became Newark Municipal Court’s chief judge, she knew well the inequities that poor, mentally ill, Black, and brown people faced in the criminal justice system. Pratt’s reforms transformed her courtroom into a place for problem-solving and a resource for healing. She assigned essays to defendants so that the court could understand their hardships and kept people out of jail through alternative sentencing and nonprofit partnerships. She became the judge of second chances, because she knew too few get a first one.  With a foreword from Senator Cory Booker,  The Power of Dignity  shows how we can transform courtrooms, neighborhoods, and our nation to support the vulnerable and heal community rifts. That’s the power of dignity. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Law, Social Justice, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Emma]

Well-intentioned, but ultimately exploits the stories of litigants who came before her bench to raise herself up as a “progressive” figure. Tries to claim she bucks the system in all these innovative ways, but clearly is still very moderate when it comes to social Justice concepts, especially noticeable on her thoughts on drug addiction, sex work, and law enforcement. Maybe a good immediate intro to progressive justice for someone who has just learned the concept exists, but not a worthwhile read for anyone who is already in this space.

[agata · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Honorable Victoria Pratt is currently a Professor at Rutgers Law School in Newark, New Jersey. For years, she worked as the Chief Judge in Newark Municipal Court and presided over Newark Community Solutions. You may also know her for the viral TED Talk How Judges Can Show Respect. These credentials alone are impressive as it is, but as Judge Pratt proves in her book, The Power of Dignity, she is no ordinary judge.

The book, with a foreword written by Senator Cory Booker, is a captivating and inspiring read about how a different approach to justice could change our society. When I first held it in my hands, I was a bit worried that I wasn’t smart enough to understand its contents, but Judge Pratt writes in such an informative, yet very easy to follow way, that this wasn’t an issue at all. She uses real life examples and her own experiences with the system to explain the concept of procedural justice - one that focuses on fairness and understanding - and its workings. It was incredibly inspiring to read about a Justice who truly didn’t see the court as a place of doling out punishments, but rather a place where the people are given a voice, dignity and respect. Judge Pratt’s approach is so unique and so important in today’s world, that I wish this book could be required reading for anyone who wants to start a career in the justice system. I was moved to tears by some of the people she describes, and the case she makes for huge reform that would make the system more humane spoke to me from the very first page.

TLDR: The Power of Dignity is a powerful, eye-opening book that despite its seemingly difficult topic, reads like a most riveting novel. A must read for anyone interested in justice and the way we can improve our society.

[Kate (kate_reads_) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 2015 when I read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, my eyes were opened to the major issues in our justice system. Since then I’ve read many more books that have driven home those truths and made me see more and more how broken our current system is. In Judge Victoria Pratt’s book The Power of Dignity - I have hope in seeing a different path.

I thought Judge Pratt did a great job of showing how justice can be handled differently when every defendant is looked at as a whole human being and not just a specific case or instance. She often had them write essays which helped her learn more about what put them before her. And through major changes to Newark’s system - they were able to make big differences in lots of people’s lives.

However - for me the book felt a little long/repetitive and I feel like I could have taken as much from a long article. I also appreciated the research but it definitely read a little dry at times.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book last month and accidentally left it where we were staying on vacation; I just got it back in the mail yesterday. Full disclosure: I know Judge Pratt (we were law school classmates and friends) and I have been following her innovative work since she was Chief Judge of the Newark Municipal Courts, on her TED talk, and in numerous interviews. Judge Pratt sums up the central thesis of her inspiring and provocative book as such: "What if I told you that you could improve people's court experience, increase the public's trust in the justice system, increase compliance with court orders, and reduce crime with a simple idea? Well, that simple idea is procedural justice, also known as procedural fairness. It's a concept that says if people perceive that the individuals in authority in the justice system are treating them fairly, and with dignity and respect, they will obey the law."

Judge Pratt makes her case for procedural justice through many actual stories concerning the individuals who appeared before her and illuminates the ways in which our traditional courts doubly punish those people who are often the most vulnerable members of our society: the mentally ill, the illiterate, the addicted, the poor, minorities, traumatized military veterans. The approach also involves letting people tell their stories and actively listening to them, sometimes assigning a relevant essay that helps the defendant reflect on his or her life and/or specific behavior and provides value information to the judge in trying to fashion a decision. And it also involves the jurist educating the people about the judicial process in plain language, rather than legalese; treating defendants with dignity and respect and, in turn, expecting the same from them; and also helping the defendant get the help he or she might need -- all while still holding the defendant accountable for his or her actions. This simple paradigm shift helps reduce recidivism, particularly among the low-level offenders that come before a municipal court. Other innovations involve youth court (in which the judge and jury are other youths, making it truly a jury of one's peers), procedural justice in community policing, and violence-reduction programs.

These tools also translate beyond the courtroom to all kinds of leadership roles in communities, businesses, and organizations. People who believe they are truly being heard and see that their leaders (a boss, an officer, a politician) prioritize everyone's dignity are much more apt to contribute and buy into the joint enterprise or circumstance and feel inspired to do more -- as opposed to the leader who yells and criticizes. Such simple things; such basic moral concepts -- and yet this is hardly the way most systems of justice operate. And yet Judge Pratt demonstrates over and over how these principles work effectively in practice.

The final chapter is reflective essay Judge Pratt assigned herself, one that she often assigned to the defendants who came before her: A Letter to My Son/Daughter. It is a beautiful letter to her young son that instructs on the values she inherited from her family, the things she has learned along the way, the people who told her how their lives have changed for the better -- including other jurists who started following these principles after hearing her speak -- and the impact she has seen by embracing this radically human (vs. institutional) approach to justice that recognizes how intertwined we are and how our actions affect each other. Procedural justice is as simple as the Golden Rule, and as complex as the many traits and personalities and circumstances of the individuals who run into trouble. #JudgePrattSaid.

[Jennifer MacMaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was well written but I did not agree with a decent amount of her book. Judge Pratt formed Newark Community Solutions to help people access to social services, mental health, drug rehab, housing and various other services. She advocated looking at the whole person instead of one instance. She repeatedly states that black and brown people are targeted by the judicial system. In my experience where I live, I don't feel like that is true. This maybe true to certain areas or cities. I grew up with two uncles that were in and our of prison their entire adult lives until they died. I will say that she did have better ways to address drug charges and help them turn their lives around. I do think that it is very hard for people to integrate back into society once you have spent time in jail. It then sort of eliminates you from respectable jobs and leaves manual labor and illegal "jobs" to do. Then the cycle continues. However, I can also understand from an employer standpoint of why would say a bank want to hire a thief, etc. They wouldn't. Why? Well it's a liability. It shows poor character, morality, etc. I do think the exorbitant fees in the criminal justice system that are accessed to many make it impossible to escape the cycle especially if you are poor and don't have the money to pay like a rich person does. However, this is directly related to socioeconomic status vs race. I also understand when she was explaining that most cases are treated like an assembly line, where judges don't have the time to access the entire person but looks at just the case. She was able to take the time to access the whole person and try to understand the root of the problem. I think she was very intuitive. But how do we address how backed up the court systems are now? If every judge were to take the extra time, then how much more would the system be backed up? Although I don't agree with all the fines and fees assessed, many times these fines and fees are what pays for these places. You can't expect people with more money to pay the fines but those with less to not pay the fines. I think she addresses a small portion of the issues the justice system faces. There was a particular story that I very much disagreed with. It was a story of domestic violence. She found that the man felt unloved so she had him get counseling but there wasn't a punishment that I saw. I felt bad for the lady he hit. Where was the justice for her? I'm sorry if you beat someone, I don't think you should walk scot-free. I had difficulty reading all of the stories mainly because my brain wanted to argue with book as I was reading it.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is most effective when it highlights personal stories and drags when it digs into scientific papers.

"We have more sympathy for citizens who live in war-torn countries than we do for fellow Americans who encounter violence daily on our soil" (page 62).

Judge Pratt's practices shouldn't be revolutionary, but unfortunately, they are.

"We should focus on more than attacking the superficial concern. We should always be interested in the underlying matter. For example, is it best to impose a fine on someone who is already incapable of paying court fees? Does it make sense to automatically arrest someone on a minor offense simply because you can? ... Whether you are in a position of authority or not, we all have a responsibility to do what's best for one another, even if that is unconventional and unpopular. In the criminal justice system, commission of an offense is usually a symptom of an underlying condition, and a commonsense approach is to consider what that condition might be" (page 243).

[Melissa Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given that I have finished 2 books about corrupt politicians, it is more than a little ironic that the foreword was written by one of them.

I don't know why people are capitalizing the b in Black and the b in Brown when these are not being used as last names. Otherwise, they are colors. At least she was consistent about using them.

In her introduction, she refers to black and brown people as " Black and Brown bodies" and she does it again in a later chapter. Referring to people as "bodies" is dehumanizing. It does not humanize the person. Later, she refers to Hispanic and Latino people as "Latinx", which Hispanics and Latinos hate being called. It is an insulting and derogatory word. However, not many people know this. Please stop calling Hispanic and Latino peoples "Latinx"!!!!! It is also more than a little ironic that she does this in a book titled "The Power of Dignity."

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Critter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Power of Dignity is a well written book that discusses how we can change our criminal justice system to help people instead of negatively impacting the people who come into contact with it. Our current criminal justice system is mostly focused on being "hard on crime." We do not treat criminals with dignity and respect. We are too focused on seeking revenge and dehumanizing people. Judge Victoria Pratt does a great job at discussing the people she has encountered and the issues she has witnessed while being a judge. She explains the different methods that she has used to punish that have helped people to change and reduced recidivism. This book was fantastic, and I highly recommend that those interested in criminal justice read this book.

I would like to thank Seal Press for providing me with an ARC.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pratt is the known as the judge of second chances and in this book she explains procedural justice and how she applies this in her courtroom. Instead of doubling down on the poor and disadvantaged by assigning penalties that compound their conditions she assigns essays and programs to help people overcome the challenges life has thrown their way. Instead of looking solely at a person’s actions that got them into the courtroom she looks at the whole person and treats them with respect and dignity to remind them that they are more than just a cog in the wheel of “justice.” She listens to their stories and tries to improve their circumstances by giving them the chance to reform themselves instead of getting saddled with fines and jail time. This book gave me a new respect for judges and how the law can be implemented in a way that actually improves society.

[Brianccc56me.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of attending a talk given by Judge Victoria Pratt where she discussed her book The Power of Dignity. Judge Pratt was engaging, thoughtful and passionate about her vision on how to fix our broken justice system. While the problem is complex, Judge Pratt's principles are easily understood: Voice, Neutrality, Understanding and above all else Respect. She then goes on to detail how she was able to transform her courtroom utilizing her principals in real life situations with positive results. Instead of seeing faces she saw people. Instead of being judgmental she was open, impartial and respectful. While Judge Pratt's approach may not be the panacea for all the ills of our justice system, it is certainly a good starting point. I throughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

[Ashish Vyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our current criminal justice system is focused on punishment. A person, when encounters criminal justice system, feels demoralize, and feel dehumanized, which not only often is not productive, but harmful. A large majority of the key players are tone deaf. Justice Pratt has different approach. She braves to venture the tough task of seeing through the case, see the human and treat them with dignity and respect. Her court has worked like a miracle and have brought incredible results, that even her critics have admired. This is a rare, but very important voice that if even a small minority applies can make a huge change. Must read.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound.

Judge Victoria Pratt’s fascinating experience in the justice system highlights the complexities that are traditionally overlooked when making decisions as a judge. Her insight is vital, and her perspective is inspiring.

WHAT IF the criminal justice system would view people as individuals deserving of assistance (even of mercy), rather than as fundamentally irredeemable.

WHAT IF we helped people through the system so that they can get out rather than condemning them to its (incredibly confusing and convoluted) clutches?

WHAT IF the goal were transformative justice — the redemption of all things?

[Jeff Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in my public defender days, we would have done anything to be in front of the rare jurist who approaches their job in the courtroom (and beyond) as Judge Pratt does. It’s not just the world-changing results flowing from her vision and application of procedural justice. It’s treating people with dignity, helping them find hope, and developing a sense of agency and accountability. The ripple effects could literally save our communities and our country.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 4 for the importance of the content. I loved the specific stories but I think it was hard to be fully gripped because there were so many stories rather than one continuous narrative. I loved her actual, practical tips for improving the justice system, though I don’t feel like I’m in a position to implement some of them. I really liked her emphasis on dignity and respect. I can apply that on the daily with my children.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am softhearted and this book made me cry a lot.

That aside, this is a good read but nothing in it felt actionable for me on a personal level (aside from what I'm already doing). Judge Pratt is one of those people who is in a position to do good both individually and systematically, and I'm glad that she is sharing her story and philosophy.

[Kate Schwarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent look at how one judge has transformed her courtroom by treating people with dignity, being curious of their behavior and choices (rather than judgmental), and creating a path towards success for people often quickly deemed “criminals.” Very good read (which I read to inform practices in my classroom, not courtroom).

[Holly Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful book. Regardless of political beliefs or affiliations, Judge Pratt has some amazing ideas of how to reform the justice system holistically, which I adore. The statistics are eye opening and truly make you wonder how we haven’t come to try and change things before now. I loved this book and will be handing it out to get feedback and hopefully encourage some changed minds. LOVE.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concepts and a needed look at how to reframe the United States’ criminal justice system. However, I thought Judge Pratt’s interview on the Amicus podcast was a better, more succinct iteration of her thoughts. I’d recommend starting there and then consider I’m reading the book if you want a deeper look with extensive supporting stories.

[April Capil · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you follow me, you know I save my 5-star reviews for "Books (I Think) Everyone Should Read" and this book is one of them. Judge Pratt's story, and the stories of the communities she serves, changed the way I thought about how our justice system should work. Everyone should read this book.

[Kida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book to read!
I recommend it to everyone :)

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful look at the way that Community Court systems are run, with lessons that the author extends to business and other contexts.

[Mary Tharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

[Trina]

Recd by Dahlia Lithwick

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring to see someone in such a position of authority doing this good work in the Justice system.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A roadmap for improving America.

[Suzanne GT · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. Judge

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5