Policing Blackness and Practicing Freedom in Suburban St. Louis Police Worlds: A Journey into the Construction and Negotiation of Racial Inequality

Black Lives and Spatial Matters: Policing Blackness and Practicing Freedom in Suburban St. Louis (Police/Worlds: Studies in Security, Crime, and Governance)

by Jodi Rios

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4572 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	398 pages

FREE

This book explores the ways in which police officers and Black residents in suburban St. Louis negotiate racial inequality. The author, Alex Vitale, argues that the police play a key role in constructing and maintaining racial inequality, but that Black residents also actively resist and challenge police authority. The book draws on ethnographic research to provide a rich and nuanced account of the complex interactions between police and Black residents in the suburbs.

Chapter 1: The Construction of Racial Inequality

In the first chapter, Vitale examines the ways in which the police contribute to the construction of racial inequality. He argues that the police do this through a variety of means, including:

• Racial profiling: The police stop, question, and search Black people at a higher rate than white people, even though Black people are no more likely to commit crimes than white people.
• Use of excessive force: The police are more likely to use excessive force against Black people than against white people. This includes using physical force, such as beatings and chokeholds, as well as verbal abuse and intimidation.
• Arrests and imprisonment: The police are more likely to arrest and imprison Black people than white people, even for the same crimes. This is due in part to the fact that Black people are more likely to be stopped and questioned by the police, and in part to the fact that they are more likely to be convicted and sentenced to prison.

Chapter 2: The Negotiation of Racial Inequality

In the second chapter, Vitale examines the ways in which Black residents resist and challenge police authority. He argues that Black residents do this through a variety of means, including:

• Community organizing: Black residents have organized to challenge police brutality and discrimination. They have formed community groups, held protests, and lobbied for police reform.
• Legal challenges: Black residents have filed lawsuits against the police for brutality, discrimination, and other violations of their civil rights.
• Political participation: Black residents have elected Black politicians to office, who have worked to implement police reforms and improve relations between the police and the Black community.

In the , Vitale argues that the struggle for racial justice in the suburbs is an ongoing one. He calls for a fundamental transformation of the way that we police our communities, one that is based on respect, equity, and justice.

About the Author

Alex Vitale is a professor of sociology at Brooklyn College and the author of several books on policing and criminal justice. He is a leading expert on the use of force by police and has testified before Congress on police reform.

Call to Action

If you are interested in learning more about the book, Policing Blackness and Practicing Freedom in Suburban St. Louis Police Worlds, please visit the author's website at www.alexvitale.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @alexvitale.

Black Lives and Spatial Matters: Policing Blackness and Practicing Freedom in Suburban St. Louis (Police/Worlds: Studies in Security, Crime, and Governance)

by Jodi Rios

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4572 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	398 pages

FREE