Structure

The book is, in many ways, constructed along the lines of an extended academic paper, with an introduction and a conclusion (epilogue) bracketing concentrated, detailed analysis of a thesis. In this case, the introduction and conclusion emphasize two different, but very particular experiences from the lawyer’s history as a public defender, experiences that personalize his two-front argument.

The first front of the author’s argument is his claim that the current (and disproportionately) high volume of black people caught up in the American criminal justice system is the result of decisions made by black lawmakers and black law enforcement officials going back decades. Part of the book is sub-titled “Origins,” and documents the background that shaped those decisions; the political and social maneuvering that went into forwarding those decisions; and the implications for black communities and black individuals as a result of those decisions. The author...