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jilly7922's review
4.0
This book is a collection of eleven essays about the injustice when it comes to the criminal justice system and African Americans.
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a very persuasive, informative book on the unfairness in how African Americans are treated in this country. This book was extremely well written and well researched. It brought all the facts to the forefront. And the astonishing facts you will read about in this book are difficult to ignore. My favorite essays were "Boys to Men: The Role of Policing in the Socialization of Black Boys" by Kristin Henning. This essay was particularly important because it discussed children, our upcoming generations of children and how they are affected growing up in a country where our criminal justice system unfairly treats African Americans. My other favorite essay was "The Prosecution of Black Men" by Angela J. Davis because it was the essay that I learned the most. Like others I was focusing on the police and did not realize how huge of an impact prosecutors have in the unjust treatment of African Americans. The only criticism I have of this book is it was a bit repetitive. But being repetitive for this country to change we probably need to hear this over and over again. I think this book should be read in schools, basically everyone should read this book. But it should first be a mandatory read for police officers and everyone involved in our criminal justice system.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Angela J. Davis (including all the authors who were a part of this book) and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews come and read my book blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a very persuasive, informative book on the unfairness in how African Americans are treated in this country. This book was extremely well written and well researched. It brought all the facts to the forefront. And the astonishing facts you will read about in this book are difficult to ignore. My favorite essays were "Boys to Men: The Role of Policing in the Socialization of Black Boys" by Kristin Henning. This essay was particularly important because it discussed children, our upcoming generations of children and how they are affected growing up in a country where our criminal justice system unfairly treats African Americans. My other favorite essay was "The Prosecution of Black Men" by Angela J. Davis because it was the essay that I learned the most. Like others I was focusing on the police and did not realize how huge of an impact prosecutors have in the unjust treatment of African Americans. The only criticism I have of this book is it was a bit repetitive. But being repetitive for this country to change we probably need to hear this over and over again. I think this book should be read in schools, basically everyone should read this book. But it should first be a mandatory read for police officers and everyone involved in our criminal justice system.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Angela J. Davis (including all the authors who were a part of this book) and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews come and read my book blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
sydapel's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
I'll echo other reviews that I've read and says this is an excellent reference point for scholars and policy makers to understand the how and why of implicit bias in policing, as well as our justice system. It also introduce practical steps on how to combat these injustices. However, I don't think I would recommend this to the average person looking to better understand how implicit bias or racism in our justice system, as many of the essays feel incredibly dry and research/information heavy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Murder, and Racism
11corvus11's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rather. I admit, it was my fault that I mistook Angela J. Davis (the law professor, editor, and author of some essays) for Angela Y. Davis (the famous, brilliant Black liberation activist, writer, scholar, and many other things.) When I saw the title I just made the assumption that it was the latter Angela Davis and that the book would be full of essays about prison abolition, the problems with authoritarianism and the police, solutions for Black liberation, and so on. What I got instead was an academic text that seems like it would go over well in an introductory class in law school where the students are predominantly non-Black and inexperienced with the topic at hand- an extremely important topic that I wish this book handled better.
The first essay was promising which catalogued the history of lynching and authoritarianism and how if fits in with today's policing. There were some gems of knowledge peppered throughout other essays that the general layman would benefit from- especially about prosecutors, grand juries, and implicit bias. Most of the rest of the book was extremely repetitive, dry, and very centrist liberal, reformist rather than abolitionist, and downright praising of police. One guy even used the "a few bad apples/rogue actors" phrase and called most cops "heroes." Another person's entire essay couched every critique of racist, anti-Black policing in fawning complements of police officers in general. There was not a single essay aside from the first that I noticed making an argument or critique of the police force and prison industrial complex in general- all of it simply suggested there were these few broken issues that we could fix with a cop education program here and there and a Black prosecutor. It was at this point that I was asking myself, "Why on Earth would Angela Davis include these essays in her book?!" I then went to read some reviews and on brought my ignorant mistake to my attention.
The book is also poorly edited. I lost count of how many times there were extremely long slogs through defining and representing what implicit bias is and why it is wrong. Many essays catalogued the same court cases over and over. I sometimes wondered if I had some sort of cognitive lapse and did not realize I started the book over as some things were so repetitive. Some overlap and repetition is to be expected in anthologies, no doubt. But, the amount in this one was overkill. It means the book only really serves as something you read one essay out of, not something you want to read all of. And, why not just read online if you're going to read only one paper?
I do think this book has its place which is why I didn't give it a 1 or 2 star review. A white liberal middle class kid steeped in white privilege may need this kind of book as a stepping stone. Early law students who trust the system and the police unconditionally may need to understand the basics in this book in a way that is not heavy handed. People who balk at the idea of internalized white supremacy may better grasp the concept of "implicit bias" as it lets them off the hook in a way. People who need to understand more complicated definitions of racial profiling or of the basics of how court systems work could benefit. I would hope that these things would then lead them to more radical thought down the line. I am not saying I learned nothing from this. There were definitely things I picked up. But, what I picked up out of this entire book could have been conveyed to me in a long newpaper article. Perhaps if I went in with different expectations and the right Angela Davis in mind, I would have felt differently.
.........
The first essay was promising which catalogued the history of lynching and authoritarianism and how if fits in with today's policing. There were some gems of knowledge peppered throughout other essays that the general layman would benefit from- especially about prosecutors, grand juries, and implicit bias. Most of the rest of the book was extremely repetitive, dry, and very centrist liberal, reformist rather than abolitionist, and downright praising of police. One guy even used the "a few bad apples/rogue actors" phrase and called most cops "heroes." Another person's entire essay couched every critique of racist, anti-Black policing in fawning complements of police officers in general. There was not a single essay aside from the first that I noticed making an argument or critique of the police force and prison industrial complex in general- all of it simply suggested there were these few broken issues that we could fix with a cop education program here and there and a Black prosecutor. It was at this point that I was asking myself, "Why on Earth would Angela Davis include these essays in her book?!" I then went to read some reviews and on brought my ignorant mistake to my attention.
The book is also poorly edited. I lost count of how many times there were extremely long slogs through defining and representing what implicit bias is and why it is wrong. Many essays catalogued the same court cases over and over. I sometimes wondered if I had some sort of cognitive lapse and did not realize I started the book over as some things were so repetitive. Some overlap and repetition is to be expected in anthologies, no doubt. But, the amount in this one was overkill. It means the book only really serves as something you read one essay out of, not something you want to read all of. And, why not just read online if you're going to read only one paper?
I do think this book has its place which is why I didn't give it a 1 or 2 star review. A white liberal middle class kid steeped in white privilege may need this kind of book as a stepping stone. Early law students who trust the system and the police unconditionally may need to understand the basics in this book in a way that is not heavy handed. People who balk at the idea of internalized white supremacy may better grasp the concept of "implicit bias" as it lets them off the hook in a way. People who need to understand more complicated definitions of racial profiling or of the basics of how court systems work could benefit. I would hope that these things would then lead them to more radical thought down the line. I am not saying I learned nothing from this. There were definitely things I picked up. But, what I picked up out of this entire book could have been conveyed to me in a long newpaper article. Perhaps if I went in with different expectations and the right Angela Davis in mind, I would have felt differently.
.........
divantefrazier's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.75
yasidiaz's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.5
This book had so much information, but it was a frustrating read.
For all full transparency, I'm a Socialist, Communist, Marxist, or whatever you want to call it. Even more so, I'm an abolitionist and I don't think there is no fixing a system that was racist since the start. As Kwame Ture taught me, there is no reforming a house with a rotten foundation, when a house has a rotten foundation, you have to demolish it and start from zero. Therefore, I'm already lost when people try to talk me into reformation and how we can save the system.
I grew close to police culture, my father was a cop for almost as long as I have been alive. My father and granddad, are also black Puerto Rican men. I grew up seeing the abuses of police and how it was swept under the rug. I saw how when my dad's colleagues tried to do something good, they were usually thrown to the side. I soon learned that there is no such thing as a good cop, even if my father was one of them. I soon learned that no diversity, no amount of reformation, and no amount of training was going to fix a system that has always been meant to be like this.
So when essay after essay, I saw much more evidence of how racist and classist the American justice system is to then end with lackluster calls for policy change and reformation, I couldn't take much of it seriously. I only kept reading because the information itself was important and needed, even if I thought their conclusion missed the whole point.
I also want to note this book was published in 2017, three years before 2020, the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed. A part of me hopes, that at least some of the authors of these essays have grown since then and realized there is no reforming this.
If you haven't read about the American justice system and its treatment of Black Americans and other racial minorities before, I would first recommend anything from Angela Y. Davis and even readings and speeches from the late Kwame Ture. This could be a decent read after it, but I won't recommend it as a place to start.
For all full transparency, I'm a Socialist, Communist, Marxist, or whatever you want to call it. Even more so, I'm an abolitionist and I don't think there is no fixing a system that was racist since the start. As Kwame Ture taught me, there is no reforming a house with a rotten foundation, when a house has a rotten foundation, you have to demolish it and start from zero. Therefore, I'm already lost when people try to talk me into reformation and how we can save the system.
I grew close to police culture, my father was a cop for almost as long as I have been alive. My father and granddad, are also black Puerto Rican men. I grew up seeing the abuses of police and how it was swept under the rug. I saw how when my dad's colleagues tried to do something good, they were usually thrown to the side. I soon learned that there is no such thing as a good cop, even if my father was one of them. I soon learned that no diversity, no amount of reformation, and no amount of training was going to fix a system that has always been meant to be like this.
So when essay after essay, I saw much more evidence of how racist and classist the American justice system is to then end with lackluster calls for policy change and reformation, I couldn't take much of it seriously. I only kept reading because the information itself was important and needed, even if I thought their conclusion missed the whole point.
I also want to note this book was published in 2017, three years before 2020, the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed. A part of me hopes, that at least some of the authors of these essays have grown since then and realized there is no reforming this.
If you haven't read about the American justice system and its treatment of Black Americans and other racial minorities before, I would first recommend anything from Angela Y. Davis and even readings and speeches from the late Kwame Ture. This could be a decent read after it, but I won't recommend it as a place to start.
sarahlopod's review
4.0
NOTE: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This in no way impacts my review.
Policing the Black Man is a collection of essays detailing both the history of racism in the United States' criminal justice system and the issues we face today. These essays were written by various criminal justice experts. The essays are strongly connected to modern issues, discussing recent killings of black men by police and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The essays are laid out in a common sense manner, beginning with the roots of racism in criminal justice and moving forward to where we are today. They are all extremely well-written and, for the most part, easily digestible by the layperson. Some of the material presented was things I already knew, but the details and additional statistics provided allowed me to more fully grasp what has been going on. A decent amount of the material provided was brand new to me--for instance, I had no idea to what extent prosecutors were involved in racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
This book was extremely eye-opening to me, particularly as a white woman of relative privilege. This book provided everything I look for in a non-fiction book, from good writing to fascinating content. I highlighted endlessly, whenever notable statistics or vital information came up. Its only downfall was that a handful of sections became a little too technical at times and I got lost in them. Otherwise, this was an incredibly important read that I recommend to all, particularly those with an interest in racial relations and/or the criminal justice system.
Policing the Black Man is a collection of essays detailing both the history of racism in the United States' criminal justice system and the issues we face today. These essays were written by various criminal justice experts. The essays are strongly connected to modern issues, discussing recent killings of black men by police and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The essays are laid out in a common sense manner, beginning with the roots of racism in criminal justice and moving forward to where we are today. They are all extremely well-written and, for the most part, easily digestible by the layperson. Some of the material presented was things I already knew, but the details and additional statistics provided allowed me to more fully grasp what has been going on. A decent amount of the material provided was brand new to me--for instance, I had no idea to what extent prosecutors were involved in racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
This book was extremely eye-opening to me, particularly as a white woman of relative privilege. This book provided everything I look for in a non-fiction book, from good writing to fascinating content. I highlighted endlessly, whenever notable statistics or vital information came up. Its only downfall was that a handful of sections became a little too technical at times and I got lost in them. Otherwise, this was an incredibly important read that I recommend to all, particularly those with an interest in racial relations and/or the criminal justice system.
f6x's review
3.0
A necessary, but at times academic, look at the realities and challenges too many people in our country face every second of every day.
ascoular's review
3.0
This is a collection of essays from the leading legal scholars and practitioners living today. However, the editing could have been a lot tighter. Unfortunately, this was very repetitive in content. Perhaps, because the scope was so narrow? This is better suited to those with no legal background whatsoever (ex: the person that always wonders how the police or the system gets away with doing something awful). Some of the essays really go into depth on how court cases got us to where we are today with a lot of nuance but having just finished three years of legal studies and presently working within the juvenile “justice” system, I wasn’t the right audience for this book.