Jack Mckeever's Reviews > The End of Policing

In this book, Alex S. Vitale conducts an epic venture into the history, reality and entrenched racism that has created and subsequently fuelled the deteriorating race relations in the USA. Whilst deeply racist theories, such as 'Broken Windows' policing and the attitude that POC are more inclined to have moral failings of character, set the wheels in motion, it's the expansion of police power and punitive measures that have created the seemingly never-ending disunity in American society.

In each chapter, he painstakingly lays out the history and background of the biggest deprivations in modern America, ranging from the disastrous 'School to Prison Pipeline', the war on drugs and sex work to gang culture and political policing. His analysis is that, despite the desperate nature of the situation - 'race relations in the USA are as bad as they have ever been' - none of it is a lost cause.

But the solution will only come about with a stripping down of police power, vastly greater accountability for officers who commit violent or racist acts and an increase in community driven action, like properly funded social services, rehabilitation centres, an all-serving education system and a less punitive approach to drug addiction, sex work and homelessness. Only when all those factors are combined can a real, structural balance be struck in modern America.

This is a phenomenal book. I won't say too much about it for now, because I think everybody needs to read it. True enough, for the people who have experienced the injustices of the US police for decades it might be like '... Obviously'. But given that white people checking their privilege, calling out others for not doing the same and generally exploring what it means to be a true ally to BLM movements are as central to the necessary change as more widespread education is, I'd say this is a fairly life-changing read.