Policing the Planet

Policing the Planet examines the rise of broken windows policing and its global impact through a collection of essays, interviews, and scholarly analysis. The book traces how this policing approach spread from New York City to become an international model of urban social control. Contributors from multiple disciplines document the effects of aggressive policing strategies on marginalized communities across major cities worldwide. The work brings together activists, scholars, and journalists to analyze how policing intersects with issues of race, class, capitalism, and urban development. The anthology contextualizes modern policing within broader historical patterns of state power and social control. Through varied perspectives and methodologies, it explores connections between local police practices and global systems of surveillance and enforcement. At its core, the book interrogates fundamental questions about the nature of policing, security, and justice in contemporary urban societies. The collection challenges readers to consider alternatives to current law enforcement paradigms while examining the complex relationship between policing and social inequality.

Readers describe this as a detailed examination of broken-windows policing and its global impact through essays from scholars, activists, and journalists. Readers appreciated: - The diverse perspectives from multiple contributors - Clear connections between policing and capitalism - Documentation of resistance movements worldwide - Analysis of policing's role in gentrification - Balance of academic research and activist experiences Common criticisms: - Academic language makes some essays inaccessible - Uneven quality between contributions - Some repetition between chapters - Limited solutions or alternatives proposed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (143 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (12 ratings) One reader noted: "Provides crucial context for understanding modern policing beyond headlines." Another criticized: "Too theoretical at times, needed more concrete examples." The book received particular praise from readers interested in social movements and criminal justice reform, though some found it too focused on criticism rather than solutions.

The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale A research-based examination of how modern policing perpetuates racial inequality and social control through analysis of specific policies and practices.

From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor The text connects contemporary police violence to broader historical patterns of state control and economic exploitation of Black communities.

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander The book reveals how the criminal justice system functions as a system of racial control in the post-civil rights era through mass incarceration.

Golden Gulag by Ruth Wilson Gilmore The work traces the development of California's prison system and its relationship to surplus land, labor, and state capacity.

Race, Crime, and Justice by Jerome G. Miller The text examines the intersection of race and law enforcement through statistical analysis and institutional study of the criminal justice system.

📚 The book examines how "broken windows" policing spread from New York City to become a global phenomenon, influencing law enforcement tactics worldwide. 🌍 Co-editor Jordan T. Camp's research focuses on how racial capitalism, policing, and mass incarceration intersect with social movements and urban geography. ⚖️ The collection features contributions from prominent activists and scholars including Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Robin D.G. Kelley, and Vijay Prashad. 🗽 The text explores how the 2014 death of Eric Garner in Staten Island connected directly to "quality of life" policing policies implemented in New York during the 1990s. 📊 The book draws connections between neoliberal economic policies and the increased militarization of police forces in cities across the globe since the 1970s.