A thorough and innovative look at a burgeoning national problem.
A book calls for the reform of the American criminal justice system.
The United States has the highest incarceration rates in the world and a prison system that annually imposes unsustainably astronomical costs. Even worse, Brakke (The Price of Justice in America, 2016, etc.) argues, the social costs of its dysfunction are devastating. Families are financially ruined and torn asunder by emotional distress; children are forced to grow up without their fathers; and a toxic prison culture contributes to skyrocketing rates of criminal recidivism. The author investigates the issue from a myriad of broad perspectives, thoughtfully discussing prosecutorial and judicial dereliction, police misconduct, and systemic problems like a plea-bargaining system that unfairly disadvantages poorer defendants. He excoriates the failed war on drugs, not only for its role in filling prisons with nonviolent offenders saddled with indefensibly punitive sentences, but also for its pervasive racial bias. Furthermore, Brakke blames sensationalist journalism for irresponsibly depicting defendants as guilty irrespective of the available evidence and for fanning the already hot flames of racial tension. In his passionate and meticulous book, Brakke prescribes numerous, detailed solutions to these nagging problems, including a greater emphasis on rehabilitation in prison, increased judicial discretion with respect to sentencing, and a standardized system for training police officers in the use of deadly force. Some of his suggestions are not only familiar, but also widely practiced; for example, equipping police officers with cameras to encourage better behavior. But he also offers intriguingly novel ones, like establishing separate courts for urban, suburban, and rural areas and promoting a more sensitive, localized approach to law enforcement while neutralizing the prejudices upper-class citizens harbor about inner-city life. Some of his more controversial judgments could use more empirical substantiation; for example, Brakke claims that, with respect to the media, “liberal racial bias seems to target whites.” But the study is generally rigorous and evenhanded and makes an admirable effort, in plainly readable prose, to consider opposing sides on any given issue. His measured tone is especially notable when discussing particularly contentious topics like the police use of stop-and-identify to canvass for criminal suspects.
A thorough and innovative look at a burgeoning national problem.Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-947466-34-0
Page Count: 142
Publisher: American Leadership Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Potential enlightenment is trumped by too much crunk in the trunk.
A hustler recounts a life filled with drugs, sex, violence and some occasional love for the Man Upstairs.
In some respects, it’s refreshing to read the memoir of a hardcore thug who, despite a jailhouse conversion, hasn’t necessarily seen the light, a man who makes no apologies–and asks no forgiveness–for his willingness to exploit the weaknesses of others. On the other hand, this story of a misogynistic drug-dealer whose main concerns are himself and his money (not necessarily in that order) sheds little insight into the human condition. Though Nesta Ali’s childhood was a troubled one–his father killed a man shortly before his birth; his parents separated when he was young; his father caroused with numerous women in between drug deals–he had a loving, supportive mother and no shortage of intelligence and determination. Despite (he claims) attempting repeatedly to apply those qualities to legal activities (a short stint as a writer was his most successful endeavor), hustling–and the habits that go hand-in-hand with dealing–was too deeply embedded in him. While his cleverness and unique sense of integrity served him well on the streets, his selfishness and the inherently unpredictable nature of hustling led to a constant cycle of booms and busts, including a few prison sentences. That same selfishness precludes any chance of Ali achieving true intimacy, and despite an abundance of women in his life, he marks the duration of successful relationships in weeks or months rather than years. Of course, the fact that he often beats his women into submission might provide some insight into why he always ends up alone. The narrative is by turns fascinating and repulsive, intriguing and reprehensible. The ghetto slang belies the sharp writing, but the constant repetition of fights, drug overdoses and abusive relationships quickly becomes monotonous.
Potential enlightenment is trumped by too much crunk in the trunk.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-0-9778491-0-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
One of the first black women to star in a television series (``Star Trek'') provides a valuable commentary on racism in the business, along with numerous sugarcoated stories about friends, fans, and family. Growing up in Robbins, a black-populated and black-governed town just outside of Chicago, Nichols began her singing and dancing career at the age of 14, touring nightclubs for many years. Nichols met Gene Roddenberry, later the producer of ``Star Trek,'' in 1963 when she was cast in an episode of one of his early television series. Her friendship with the married Roddenberry quickly turned into an affair. Nichols ended it when she discovered he was seeing someone else, although by her account, Roddenberry never quite forgave her for walking away. Nichols faced numerous racial and sexist barriers throughout her career, including conflict with the stuffed shirts of NBC around her role in ``Star Trek.'' Only after Nichols agreed to sign the contract did NBC executives learn that Roddenberry intended to hire a black woman as fourth in command on the Enterprise. They refused to honor the contract, but Roddenberry was free to hire her on a daily basis, which he did throughout the series. Nichols admits having felt humiliated not to be working under the same terms as the rest of the cast. Nichols also reveals the rocky relationship she and the entire cast had with William Shatner. Even though she occasionally offers kind words about Shatner's character and abilities, for the most part he is portrayed as arrogant and bossy. Nichols occasionally takes herself too seriously. Her speeches at ``Star Trek'' conventions often addressed the future of the space program. By her account, ``often, by the end of my speech, the fans would be crying, and I would be crying. Then we'd all be laughing.'' Nichols's story just doesn't have the expected punch from the woman involved with the first televised interracial kiss. But Trekkers will love the gossip. (40 b&w photos, not seen) (Author tour)
Pub Date: Oct. 19, 1994
ISBN: 0-399-13993-1
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
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