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A review by essinink
Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman Jr.
5.0
It's no secret that the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. It's equally undisputed that our prison population is disproportionately black and brown. What continues to be argued is why.
There's plenty of discussion to be had at the surface about drug laws and institutional racism, but with only 20% of U.S. prisoners in on drug offenses, and few of those meeting the criteria for the prototypical 'non-violent drug offender' of most arguments, Forman is not content to stop there. Digging into history, he explores the slow accumulation of seemingly-minor policy decisions, each arising in response to unmistakable problems and struggles, as they snowballed into today's system.
Forman argues that the diffuse nature of the criminal justice system is itself the driving factor behind the high incarceration rate. Using the history of majority-black Washington, D.C. as a framework, he sets out to explain the actions and motivations of Black citizens and leaders in urban America, as well as the enduring impact of the choices made from the 1960s onward. Taking a chrono-topical approach, each chapter explores a distinct moment/problem in D.C. history (heroin, handguns, police integration, the crack epidemic, stop & frisk, etc.), framed by anecdotes from Forman's experience as a public defender that illustrate the long-term impact of decisions made at each of his chosen crossroads.
I found this approach both balanced and accessible. The historical sections were objective, and the framing stories more illustrative than emotionally manipulative. (Although some may not agree with me in that assessment). His work is exhaustively cited; the last 100 pages or so are endnotes--some with enlightening commentary--and an index. (Those who would have preferred a separate bibliography will be disappointed.)
Of particular interest to me was his attentiveness to gun control arguments. It's not something I've previously seen addressed in this context, and was enlightening reading--not only with regard to mass incarceration--but also for understanding the history of the gun control debate in itself. So much of today's debate focuses on the spectacle of mass shootings, but the roots of the debate are far more complex. By examining the 1980s intersection of guns, drugs, and violence in urban environments, he's added to the dialogue of all the individual factors.
He closes on a hopeful note, throwing out a handful of suggestions for a better system, but mostly pointing out that the upside of a diffuse criminal justice system is that attention to state and local politics does make a difference. And if he shies from detailed discussion of action plans or policy changes... well, that was never the goal of this book. (He does discuss such things elsewhere.)
It's easy to strip history down to buzzwords, but rarely worthwhile in the long run. But by understanding how and why we came to this point, we can initiate meaningful discussion to decide how to move forward from here. Overall, definitely a worthwhile read to anyone seeking a balanced and readable discussion of historical factors related to mass incarceration.
There's plenty of discussion to be had at the surface about drug laws and institutional racism, but with only 20% of U.S. prisoners in on drug offenses, and few of those meeting the criteria for the prototypical 'non-violent drug offender' of most arguments, Forman is not content to stop there. Digging into history, he explores the slow accumulation of seemingly-minor policy decisions, each arising in response to unmistakable problems and struggles, as they snowballed into today's system.
Forman argues that the diffuse nature of the criminal justice system is itself the driving factor behind the high incarceration rate. Using the history of majority-black Washington, D.C. as a framework, he sets out to explain the actions and motivations of Black citizens and leaders in urban America, as well as the enduring impact of the choices made from the 1960s onward. Taking a chrono-topical approach, each chapter explores a distinct moment/problem in D.C. history (heroin, handguns, police integration, the crack epidemic, stop & frisk, etc.), framed by anecdotes from Forman's experience as a public defender that illustrate the long-term impact of decisions made at each of his chosen crossroads.
I found this approach both balanced and accessible. The historical sections were objective, and the framing stories more illustrative than emotionally manipulative. (Although some may not agree with me in that assessment). His work is exhaustively cited; the last 100 pages or so are endnotes--some with enlightening commentary--and an index. (Those who would have preferred a separate bibliography will be disappointed.)
Of particular interest to me was his attentiveness to gun control arguments. It's not something I've previously seen addressed in this context, and was enlightening reading--not only with regard to mass incarceration--but also for understanding the history of the gun control debate in itself. So much of today's debate focuses on the spectacle of mass shootings, but the roots of the debate are far more complex. By examining the 1980s intersection of guns, drugs, and violence in urban environments, he's added to the dialogue of all the individual factors.
He closes on a hopeful note, throwing out a handful of suggestions for a better system, but mostly pointing out that the upside of a diffuse criminal justice system is that attention to state and local politics does make a difference. And if he shies from detailed discussion of action plans or policy changes... well, that was never the goal of this book. (He does discuss such things elsewhere.)
It's easy to strip history down to buzzwords, but rarely worthwhile in the long run. But by understanding how and why we came to this point, we can initiate meaningful discussion to decide how to move forward from here. Overall, definitely a worthwhile read to anyone seeking a balanced and readable discussion of historical factors related to mass incarceration.