At fourteen, Steve Truscott was a typical teenager in rural Ontario in the fifties, mainly concerned about going fishing, playing football, and racing bikes with his friends. One summer evening, his twelve-year-old classmate, Lynne Harper, asked for a lift to the nearby highway on his bicycle and Steve agreed. Unfortunately, that made Steve the last person known to see Lynne alive.

His world collapsed around him when he was arrested and then convicted of killing Lynne Harper. The penalty at the time was death by hanging. Although the sentence was changed to life in prison, Steve suffered for years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit. When his case gained national attention, the Supreme Court of Canada reviewed the evidence -- and confirmed his conviction.

It took over forty years and a determination to prove his innocence for him to finally clear his name. He has since received an apology and compensation for his ordeal.

In this book, young readers will discover how an innocent boy was presumed guilty by the justice system, and how in the end, that same justice system, prodded by Truscott and his lawyers, was able to acknowledge the terrible wrong done to him.

BILL SWAN has worked as a journalism teacher, editor, and newspaper columnist. His first three novels, Fast Finish, Mud Run, and Off Track are highly recommended by CM Magazine: Canadian Review of Materials. Mud Run was nominated for a Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award. He is also the author of Corner Kick. He lives in Courtice, Ontario with his wife and daughter.

Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death – The Story of Steven Truscott (Real Justice)

The next two books are from the Real Justice series and tell the true stories of Steven Truscott and Robert Baltovich. They take readers through the events that led these two young men to be accused and eventually imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. Both books are written at a Grade 4 to 5 reading level but the content is definitely intended for young adults.

The first book in the series is Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death – The Story of Steven Truscott. Truscott was a typical teenager living in rural Ontario in the 1950s. One evening he gave his 12-year-old classmate, Lynne Harper, a lift to a nearby highway on his bicycle and ended up being the last person to see her alive. He was eventually arrested and convicted for her murder and sentenced to hang. Although his sentence was changed to life in prison, Steven spent many years in jail for a murder he didn’t commit. He was granted parole in 1969 but was not acquitted until 2007. It took 47 years before his name was officially cleared and he received an apology and compensation for the mistake.

The second book is Real Justice: Young, Innocent and In Prison – The Story of Robert Baltovich. It is a similar story to that of Steven Truscott but Robert was older and was accused of killing his girlfriend, Elizabeth Bain in the early 1990s. Rob was arrested, convicted and sent to prison for life all the while maintaining his innocence. It took eight long years before Rob hired new lawyers who believed in his innocence and were able to get him acquitted. They also made a strong case that the real murderer was the infamous serial killer Paul Bernardo, but that was never proven. Rob has started a lawsuit, hoping the courts will award him payment for a wrongful conviction, but that will not give him back the years he lost or the girl he loved.

Both of these books show how the justice system can get things wrong and how innocent people can be sentenced to prison for crimes they did not commit. They are quick and simple reads but will keep reluctant young adult readers flipping the pages to see how the stories turn out. Both books contain a glossary of legal terms used in the book and the Robert Baltovich story also includes a timeline and “Where are they now?” section that explains where they key characters in the story have ended up. These books could be used in English classrooms to encourage reluctant readers as they are considered high interest books written at a lower reading level, but they could also be used in courses that discuss the legal or judicial system. They would make good material for debate and discussion.