“AttorneyandliteraryagentGoldfarb(editor,AfterSnowden)deliversalaceratingcritiqueofinequitiesinAmerica’scriminalandciviljusticesystemsandtheroleoflawyersinperpetuatingthem...Legalprofessionalswillwanttotakenote.“-Publisher’sWeeklyWithforewordbySenatorBernieSandersRealcivilandcriminaljusticeislongoverdueThePriceofJustice:Money,MoralsandEthicalReformintheLawveteranWashingtonLawyerRonaldGoldfarbrevealstheinjusticesinourlegalsystemandhowmoneyandpowerhaveexceededethicsinthelegalprofessionforfartoolong.Justicereformhasbecomeanincreasinglypresenttopicinthenewsandmedia,withmovementslike“ICan’tBreathe“andBlackLivesMatterpromptingnationaloutcryfromthepublicovertheunethicalactionsoflawenforcement,andremainsoneofthemostcontroversialandhighlydebatedissuesforpoliticiansandcitizenstoday.Withmorethan2millionAmerican’sincarcerated,itisbeyondapparentthatthejusticesystemintrinsicallyensuresthatlower-incomepeopleandminoritiesareshockinglyunderrepresentedandofferedlittletonolegalprotection.InThePriceofJustice,Goldfarbusespowerfultestimonies,mediaevidence,andfirst-handexpertisefromworkingintheJusticeDepartmentasalongtimepublicinterestlawyertorevealhowboththecriminalandciviljusticesystemsfailtoservelowerandmiddle-classcitizens,andmakesanundeniablecasefortheprofoundjusticereformthatissodesperatelyneeded.Goldfarbasksthatweexaminecloselyalegalsystemthathasbecomelargelypay-to-play,benefitingtheadministratorsandthosewealthycitizenswhocanaffordto“lawyerup“,andshowslittlemercyforthelower-incomecitizenswhofallvictimtoanendlesscycleofconviction,fines,bail,lackofcounselandcapitalpunishment.Goldfarbexposesasystemthatvaluesmoneyoverethicsandlawyerswhovaluewinningcasesoverfindingtruthandservingjustice,pointingoutthatcivilaidandpublicdefendersaregrosslyunder-staffedandunderfinanced,makingitnearlyimpossibletomeetthechallengesofwell-paidprivatelawyers.Thisbookbegsthelegalprofessiontoconsiderit’sethicalcodewhenconsideringcasestorepresent,notjustrepresentcrookswhocanpayandturnawayworthyclientswhocannotaffordexorbitantfees,andequipsthepublicwiththeknowledgeneededtoadvocateforrealjusticereform.
