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dellaposta's review
4.0
Interesting piece of political and social history. Forman is at his best drawing from newspapers and other historical materials to paint a picture of the political discourses around tough-on-crime policies among an earlier generation of black political leaders (using DC as a case study). I wasn’t as into the personal anecdotes from Forman’s time as a public defender - they feel too earnest and Boy Scout-ish. I also could have used some more data and focus on establishing causal linkages. But Forman is a law professor, not a social scientist, and he produces a narrative that is rhetorically powerful even if it leaves a lot of terrain unexplored. The result still feels like an important contribution to the literature on mass incarceration.
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
This is a straightforward examination on prison culture in America. Overall, thought provoking.
mc1945's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
The author's perspective as a former public defender makes for a very interesting read.
serennognos's review against another edition
5.0
I never thought a book about racial history and policy would make me cry and still give me hope for the future. But it did, and I cannot recommend it enough as an outstanding and extremely important look at America’s criminal justice system. Both a skilled writer and a truly kindhearted and passionate public defense lawyer, James Forman is exactly the kind of person we need more of in law, order, and policy right now.
alyshadeshae's review against another edition
5.0
It's one thing to "know" that systematic racism is a problem in our country and judicial system. It's another thing entirely to learn the numbers and multiple sides of the history that helped put this system into place.