Publisher's Synopsis
We all think we are compassionate just like we all think we are honest. But true compassion is not innate. Compassion for others, especially those that we don t know or understand, must be learned. Our lack of compassion is perhaps most extreme in the exercise of criminal justice, where a person's entire life, worth, and character are judged through the myopic lens of a single act. But no one, says Steinberg, should be reduced to their worst moment. The Courage of Compassion, is a powerful memoir from veteran public defender and founder of The Bail Project about how we can reimagine justice through compassion. Steinberg shares her journey as a public defender, representing people at precisely that time in their lives - their own worst moment. She recounts the heart-wrenching stories of her clients and invites us to interrogate our fears and beliefs about justice and punishment. Lastly, Steinberg reveals moments when she questioned her own capacity for compassion, as well as her abilit
