In "Charged," Emily Bazelon takes a deep dive into the heart of America's criminal justice system, challenging the long-held notion that the scales of justice are evenly balanced between prosecution and defense. Through the compelling stories of two young individuals—Kevin, a Brooklynite ensnared by his association with a firearm during a police raid, and Noura, a Memphis teenager indicted for the murder of her own mother—Bazelon exposes the devastating impact of prosecutorial power on the fates of the accused. This power, often wielded without check, decides not just the outcome of cases but ultimately, who gains freedom and who is condemned to incarceration, weaving a narrative that is as much an indictment of the system as it is a beacon of hope. As Bazelon follows the journeys of Kevin and Noura from their arrests through the labyrinth of their trials, she illuminates the broader context of mass incarceration and the potential for systemic reform. "Charged" not only uncovers the roots of injustice embedded within prosecutorial discretion but also highlights the emerging wave of reform-minded district attorneys committed to transforming the role they play. With meticulous investigation and heart-wrenching storytelling, Bazelon advocates for a reimagined future of criminal justice that is within reach—a future where the power of prosecutors can be harnessed for rehabilitation and redemption rather than punishment and despair.