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Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom
Top of the pile
82
/100
I Index Overall Rating
Readers
95/100Critics
53/100Scholars
98/100Author:
Derecka Purnell
Publisher:
Astra House
Date:
October 5, 2021
Purnell details how multi-racial social movements rooted in rebellion, risk-taking, and revolutionary love pushed her and a generation of activists toward abolition.
What The Reviewers Say
Citations abound in this well-documented memoir that ties Purnell’s personal inquiry to the events that have ignited national interest in policing reform. While her narrative is densely fact-packed throughout, Purnell is able to deftly lead the reader through the ins and outs of the abolitionist mindset so that it is clear and comprehensible for all, including those who, like her, might be initially skeptical..
Purnell, a human rights lawyer and organizer, argues convincingly that police departments and prisons are irredeemably implicated in racist ideologies and the perpetuation of violence despite long-standing efforts at reform.
... idealistic and impassioned.
