Unbeknownst to each other, Matt Barnes and Sonya Livingstone accept positions as summer interns for the Justice Project, an organization that defends individuals wrongly convicted. Matt, the star quarterback of the state championship football team, sustained a gruesome injury while snowboarding. His mangled leg results in the loss of his USC football scholarship and a permanent limp. Once he thought of himself as a star athlete, but now he views himself as a cripple, and he is uncertain about what to do with his life. Sonya is the class valedictorian and daughter of a well-known judge who will enter Harvard University in the fall. Often on the opposite sides in classroom discussions, Sonya and Matt now find themselves on the same team.

The great potential of this premise is unrealized because of the superficial treatment of the issues that confront these young protagonists. Matt is hesitant to discard his crutches because of his lurching gait, thinking of himself as a cripple. Yet he abandons the crutches shortly after we meet him and has little difficulty adjusting. Everyone likes Matt. As a result, the author missed an opportunity to explore the challenges a young man in the prime of his life encounters because of a devastating, life-changing injury.

Sonya is an even greater missed opportunity. She is a semi-closeted lesbian who reveals her sexual orientation to Matt after working with him for a brief time. She is depicted as comfortable with her sexuality, but she but has not yet come out to her parents. Her ambivalence is obvious, but Betcherman ignores this aspect of her character. Sonya never encounters any difficulties or unpleasant confrontations. Instead, she is little more than a caricature of the supportive female who assists the wounded but manly man. As with Matt, Betcherman whiffed on the opportunity to explore what life would be like for a bright, talented young lesbian who has not yet revealed her sexual orientation.

Unfortunately, the story also fails as a mystery. A challenge in writing a murder mystery is to include enough plausible suspects. The Justice Project offers only two plausible suspects, and they become obvious as soon as they are introduced. They immediately tell Matt and Sonya that taking on the case is a waste of time that could jeopardize the funding of the Justice Project. Betcherman might as well hang a neon sign over their heads saying, “One of these two characters is the real murderer.”

I’m not sure what audience would find this novel to be interesting. The book is short and easy to read, and I imagine a sixth- or seventh-grade reader would have little difficulty with the reading level. The characters are likable, but the plot lacks tension and conflict. The result is a bland story that borders on boring. ( )

I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

I have mixed feelings about The Justice Project. The topic of teens working for an organization that help the wrongly convicted is a new one for me in Young Adult, and therefore I feel like it definitely could have an audience. I think a lot of people would enjoy it just based on that topic alone, along with the mystery that gets weaved in. I was able to read this book within 2 days, so it keeps your attention. I also appreciated that the friendship that formed between the boy and girl main characters was not romantic, as the main female character identifies as a lesbian.

The problems I have with The Justice Project may not be problems for everyone. I felt that the writing was written for a much younger audience than the characters that are portrayed. The characters are graduating high school and entering college at the end of the summer after their internship ends at the Justice Project organization. The way that it is written feels like it might be better for young teens. The story also moves almost too quickly, and the plot isn't really fleshed out. I also had a problem with the portrayal of the main character who was a star football player who had been injured in an accident and now considers himself a "cripple." He complained about his struggle with his injury through the story, and his dedication to the Justice Project was more of a distraction rather than helping him accept his injury and grow as a character. I understand what the author was going for, but feel it wasn't executed successfully.

Despite the problems I have with the novel, I think it's worth the read if the summary intrigues you. ( )

Engaging, quick read about Matt, a young man, looking forward to starting college in the fall. But... a bad accident drastically alters his life plans. Fortunately his supportive family, friends and high school provide positive understanding and help.

A summer job interning at the Justice Project further benefits him by giving him something else to think and care about, and something constructive to do. He learns about and meets men who have been incarcerated for years for crimes they did not commit! He is taught how to help, and is motivated to do more, and succeeds in making a difference by getting an innocent man freed.

Sad to consider how too many people and their families are failed by our justice system. Time to switch things up: have the best lawyers represent the underprivileged and the newest, most inexperienced lawyers defend the wealthiest defendants. How quickly would problems with inequities in justice be solved?

It's very exciting to see that the field of YA fiction is becoming more diverse and representative. The story follows Matt, a disabled former high school football player and his sidekick Sonya as they work for a community organization seeking to overturn wrongful convictions. The novel draws on true crime vibes to highlight racial issues facing the American justice system alongside a well-developed mystery. Well-written and thoughtful. ( )

The Justice Project is a story with a unique premise. Essentially, two high school students, Sonya and Matt, have the opportunity, through their school's law class, to investigate a case for a prisoner who has possibly been wrongly convicted. It's not really believable to me that two teens would be given this task; nevertheless, it's an intriguing story. Sonya and Matt grow as people while they, potentially, find new evidence to free an innocent prisoner. Overall, this is a solid read for young adults. ( )