Perspective

"The New Jim Crow" is an academic text written by Michelle Alexander, and as such, Alexander is arguably the book's narrator. She makes no apologies to those offended by her thesis and warns in that preface that, "this book is not for everyone." She does not bother presenting opposing points of view or suggest that certain components of the War on Drugs are effective in combating drug use, as many politicians and law enforcement officials contend. In her view, the drug war has not only been a failure, it has increased crime and is racially biased in application and design. Indeed, the intended audiences for "The New Jim Crow" are those seeking to expose the criminal justice system as racially unjust. It is a system so corrupt and racist it's comparable to previous institutions of social control like race-based slavery. Convincing the American public that "colorblindness" has contributed...