The End of Policing, Alex S. Vitale
The End of Policing, Alex S. Vitale
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The End of Policing

Author: Alex S. Vitale

Narrator: Michael Butler Murray

Unabridged: 8 hr 36 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 04/09/2019


Synopsis

Recent years have seen an explosion of protest against police brutality and repression. Among activists, journalists, and politicians, the conversation about how to respond and improve policing has focused on accountability, diversity, training, and community relations. Unfortunately, these reforms will not produce results, either alone or in combination. The core of the problem must be addressed: the nature of modern policing itself.

This book attempts to spark public discussion by revealing the tainted origins of modern policing as a tool of social control. It shows how the expansion of police authority is inconsistent with community empowerment, social justice—even public safety. Drawing on groundbreaking research from across the world, and covering virtually every area in the increasingly broad range of police work, Alex Vitale demonstrates how law enforcement has come to exacerbate the very problems it is supposed to solve.

In contrast, there are places where the robust implementation of policing alternatives—such as legalization, restorative justice, and harm reduction—has led to a decrease in crime, spending, and injustice. The best solution to bad policing may be an end to policing.

About Alex S. Vitale

Alex S. Vitale is professor of sociology and coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College. His writings about policing have appeared in the New York Times, New York Daily News, USA Today, the Nation, and Vice News. He has made appearances on NPR and NY1.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Onyango

Demilitarize the police. Reduce policing. Build more humane societies. End war on drugs and on terror. Heck, just do away with the fucking police.......more

Goodreads review by Sarah

PSA: The ebook version of this is currently FREE on the publisher's website and can be delivered in multiple formats! A kinder, gentler, and more diverse war on the poor is still a war on the poor. this reviews can also be found on my blog. this is a really great primer on criticisms of the police as w......more

Goodreads review by Thomas

Such an unfortunately relevant and timely book with the ongoing police brutality and militarization of police against protestors in the United States. The End of Policing shows that instead of police reform we should strive to eliminate the police state itself, given its role in maintaining anti-bla......more

Goodreads review by Avery

As a sociological study, this book succeeds spectacularly. As a political manifesto, not so much. The value of this book derives primarily from its extensive research, data, and statistics. Vitale presents astonishing facts & figures about policing that I had never heard before. The book successfull......more

Goodreads review by danny

2.5 stars. Would not recommend this mealy mouthed, largely uninspiring work by a liberal flirting with a radical tradition he doesn't seem to understand. In thinking about this book I was tempted to say, yknow it has a pretty flawed ideological groundwork that is evident in many examples (truly many......more