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talahui's review
3.0
Like others, I came into the book expecting a collection of essays edited by Angela Y. Davis (my fault for missing the middle initial), so if you're looking for her abolitionary perspective, you'll be very disappointed. There's a solid range of essays and perspectives, but the underlying current of "most cops are good actually" leaves a bad aftertaste.
cshoh's review
4.0
-slightly repetitive which i guess is bc these are essays written by multiple authors but i felt like i was reading the same examples over and over
rybrary's review
4.0
I really liked this series of essays (two of which my professors wrote!), but I just really wish some of the essayists weren't damn cop apologists.
jashughes's review
1.0
In the three years since this book was published, I think perspectives on the criminal justice system have advanced considerably. I read the first four or five essays but couldn't motivate myself to continue through one more essay that essentially boiled down to "we should give cops racial sensitivity training." I also should have double checked who edited this collection - note that it is not written by the more well known Angela Y. Davis but is instead edited by Angela J. Davis.
If you're thinking of looking for a fresher take on the causes of and solutions to racial injustices in the criminal justice system, I liked these:
* In Defense of Looting by Vicky Osterweil, an essay that has since been expanded into the book [b:In Defense of Looting: A Riotous History of Uncivil Action|50999303|In Defense of Looting A Riotous History of Uncivil Action|Vicky Osterweil|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590674289l/50999303._SY75_.jpg|75846187].
* Confessions of a Former Bastard Cop, an essay about how structural issues in the police force lead to racial inequities.
* Boots Riley on Cpitalism & Racist Violence, or watch Sorry To Bother You
* Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police by Mariame Kaba.
* How I Became A Police Abolitionist by Derecka Purnell.
* [b:Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption|20342617|Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption|Bryan Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1420795201l/20342617._SY75_.jpg|28323940] - predates this collection of essays by 3 years but does an equally good, if not better, overview of policies and law and data etc while also very much centering the writing in the actual lives of the people hurt by the system. (My review .)
* When They See Us: A Netflix miniseries on the Central Park jogger case; explores wrongful convictions and life after doing time.
If you're thinking of looking for a fresher take on the causes of and solutions to racial injustices in the criminal justice system, I liked these:
* In Defense of Looting by Vicky Osterweil, an essay that has since been expanded into the book [b:In Defense of Looting: A Riotous History of Uncivil Action|50999303|In Defense of Looting A Riotous History of Uncivil Action|Vicky Osterweil|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590674289l/50999303._SY75_.jpg|75846187].
* Confessions of a Former Bastard Cop, an essay about how structural issues in the police force lead to racial inequities.
* Boots Riley on Cpitalism & Racist Violence, or watch Sorry To Bother You
* Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police by Mariame Kaba.
* How I Became A Police Abolitionist by Derecka Purnell.
* [b:Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption|20342617|Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption|Bryan Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1420795201l/20342617._SY75_.jpg|28323940] - predates this collection of essays by 3 years but does an equally good, if not better, overview of policies and law and data etc while also very much centering the writing in the actual lives of the people hurt by the system. (My review .)
* When They See Us: A Netflix miniseries on the Central Park jogger case; explores wrongful convictions and life after doing time.
chewdigestbooks's review
4.0
Important, but a long slog unless you are interested in the problem and repetitive even then because of the different authors bringing up some of the same individual shootings again in their own essays.
What galls me is that it all seems so freaking obvious and yet the idiot bigots are still out there spreading their lies and vile crap. Policing, prosecutors, and sentencing all need to be color blind and until we get there, all will suffer, especially the black male.
What galls me is that it all seems so freaking obvious and yet the idiot bigots are still out there spreading their lies and vile crap. Policing, prosecutors, and sentencing all need to be color blind and until we get there, all will suffer, especially the black male.
esquiredtoread's review
4.0
While some parts of the essays were repetitive, this was overall extremely informative.
I was lucky enough to have Professor Angela Davis as Criminal Procedure Professor! She incorporated some of this into how she taught the course which was extremely eye-opening.
I was lucky enough to have Professor Angela Davis as Criminal Procedure Professor! She incorporated some of this into how she taught the course which was extremely eye-opening.
jsjammersmith's review
4.0
I'm really glad that I read this collection however I will admit that I feel that The New Jim Crow managed to convey most of the material in this book already. Nevertheless this book like The New Jim Crow is required reading for anyone and everyone who is interested in deepening their knowledge about the racial disparity that exists in the justice system of the United States.
Each of these essays digs into a different problem at heart in the justice system, explaining through real-life cases or statistics the kind of juices that awaits far too many young black men. Each essay is an opportunity to witness the problems and tragedies that African American men suffer from. The reader is often given some arguments as well as to how these problems can be solved so this book is a valuable resource for the fact that it does not just point out problems offering no solution. The writers of this book shows their dedication and conviction that the unfairness that stacks against black men can be resolved.
The reader owes it to themselves to try and understand the problems a large portion of the population has to struggle through, and for privileged white men like myself this book is a chance to try to understand what can be done to change this system.
Each of these essays digs into a different problem at heart in the justice system, explaining through real-life cases or statistics the kind of juices that awaits far too many young black men. Each essay is an opportunity to witness the problems and tragedies that African American men suffer from. The reader is often given some arguments as well as to how these problems can be solved so this book is a valuable resource for the fact that it does not just point out problems offering no solution. The writers of this book shows their dedication and conviction that the unfairness that stacks against black men can be resolved.
The reader owes it to themselves to try and understand the problems a large portion of the population has to struggle through, and for privileged white men like myself this book is a chance to try to understand what can be done to change this system.
brookeworm_reads's review
2.0
If you have any familiarity or expertise in the field, this book is a waste of your time. Very surface level explanations of issues within the system, lack of cohesion between chapters, and extremely moderate solutions proposed. This might be a good book for you if you are just starting to engage in these social issues, it does give a wide overview of policing and the criminal legal system. But it lacks inspiration and it is pretty dry, so probably skip it and try to find something more engaging.