Join us for A More Perfect Union book discussion with facilitators Christopher Proctor, Indiana University Southeast Librarian, and Joe Shepherd, Social Services Outreach Coordinator. The event will be on Thursday, October 13th from 6:00 PM- 7:00 PM, and for those attending in person, we will be meeting in the Applegate room. We will be discussing the novel Pleading Out by Dan Canon. Free copies of the book are available at the Upper Customer Service Desk for those that register. Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join us on Zoom, or we will see you downstairs in the Applegate Room!

Most Americans believe that the jury trial is the backbone of our criminal justice system. But in fact, the vast majority of cases never make it to trial: almost all criminal convictions are the result of a plea bargain, a deal made entirely out of the public eye. 

Law professor and civil rights lawyer Dan Canon argues that plea bargaining may swiftly dispose of cases, but it also fuels an unjust system. This practice produces a massive underclass of people who are restricted from voting, working, and otherwise participating in society. And while innocent people plead guilty to crimes they did not commit in exchange for lesser sentences, the truly guilty can get away with murder. 

With heart-wrenching stories, fierce urgency, and an insider's perspective, Pleading Out exposes the ugly truth about what's wrong with America's criminal justice system today--and offers a prescription for meaningful change. 

This program has been made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Humanities.