Policing the Black Man

Arrest, Prosecution, and Imprisonment

by Edited by Angela J. Davis

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Pantheon

Pub Date

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Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Pantheon

Pub Date

Description

A comprehensive, readable analysis of the key issues of the Black Lives Matter movement, this thought-provoking and compelling anthology features essays by some of the nation’s most influential and respected criminal justice experts and legal scholars.

Policing the Black Man explores and critiques the many ways the criminal justice system impacts the lives of African American boys and men at every stage of the criminal process, from arrest through sentencing. Essays range from an explication of the historical roots of racism in the criminal justice system to an examination of modern-day police killings of unarmed black men. The contributors discuss and explain racial profiling, the power and discretion of police and prosecutors, the role of implicit bias, the racial impact of police and prosecutorial decisions, the disproportionate imprisonment of black men, the collateral consequences of mass incarceration, and the Supreme Court’s failure to provide meaningful remedies for the injustices in the criminal justice system. Policing the Black Man is an enlightening must-read for anyone interested in the critical issues of race and justice in America.

Advance Praise

Somewhere among the anger, mourning and malice that Policing the Black Man documents lies the pursuit of justice. This powerful book demands our fierce attention.”
—Toni Morrison

“Like Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness or Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, Policing the Black Man insightfully shows us why the encounter between black men and even black boys with the criminal justice system is, and long has been historically, fraught, reflecting larger social and economic relations between white and black Americans. The essays collected here by Angela Davis effectively demonstrate how the painful history of racial injustice in America informs a black male’s experience of virtually every aspect of our system of justice, from arrest, through prosecution and sentencing, to incarceration. This book is essential reading for all of us who love the concept of justice in America, and seek for its practical applications to live up to its theoretical ideals.”
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

“Policing the Black Man is a social-political mitzvah. With statistics in one hand and true beating heart in the other these writers deconstruct the monolith of racism and the conscious and unconscious deadly intent of the powers that be.”
—Walter Mosley

"Rigorous and chilling. This collection from leading academics and lawyers is profoundly unsettling but also fiercely illuminating. For all those working to see truth, reconciliation, and justice prevail in America, this collection is an essential and timely provocation."
—Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-8)

“This essential anthology explains the deep American history of the alarming and unconscionable racial disparities in policing, prosecution, and mass incarceration. From the Black Codes to capital punishment, specific policies and propaganda have licensed serially violent overreactions to the mere sight and shape of black boys and men. Yet this volume contains hope in its elucidation of the structural bases of such dangerous bias. In decoding how such a tragedy came to be, the essays in this collection just might lead to the kind of understanding so necessary for the health and safety of all citizens, for trust in the institutions of law enforcement, and for the rehabilitation of justice itself.”
—Patricia Williams, MacArthur Fellow and John L. Dohr Professor of Law, Columbia Law School

"Lucid perspectives on how and why the United States criminal justice system often victimizes black males . . . An absorbing anthology, scholarly yet approachable."
—Kirkus Reviews

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EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9781101871270
PRICE	$27.95 (USD)

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Featured Reviews

Sarah A, Reviewer

My Recommendation

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.

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V N, Reviewer

My Recommendation

This is a book that should be read by all. This is a detailed, essay formatted book on racism. This book covers many different basis such from the past to the present. What I truly enjoyed about the book was the statistics and facts to back up what had  been written. I did learn some new things. With the climate of the world today, I wish everyone would read this book. The insight is magnificent. I will be buying this book for family and friends. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

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Jill K, Reviewer

My Recommendation

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.

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