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Authoritative and insightful, this wide-ranging overview of police abuse and violence in American society offers a one-stop primer for understanding the forces driving abusive and violent police misconduct. In addition to chronicling specific notorious and controversial examples of police violence and abuse, this work delves into the root causes of police misconduct, details the varied responsibilities and culture of law enforcement in American communities, and examines the arguments for and against efforts and proposals to reform and improve police departments. In the process, Police Abuse and Reform in America gives readers a clear and unbiased understanding of the issue by carefully examining claims about the root causes and extent of police violence and abuse in the USA, as well as the efficacy of efforts to reform and improve law enforcement performance.

For example, featured essays tackle such questions as whether male or female officers are more likely to use excessive force, whether policing has become more dangerous over time, whether police abuse is more prevalent in communities of color, and whether reforms to address and curb incidents of police abuse are effective or counterproductive. In addition, the book impartially assesses claims and counterclaims made about police actions during events such as the Rodney King beating of 1992, the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020.