Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America

Americans urgently debate our criminal justice system, fueled by mass incarceration and police brutality, especially against people of color.

This book challenges this narrative by examining the role of some African Americans in escalating the war on crime. Forman argues that the first substantial cohort of black mayors, judges, and police chiefs took office during a surge in crime, believing tough measures like drug and gun laws and “pretext traffic stops” were necessary for black communities. Some politicians and activists saw criminals as a “cancer” to be removed, while others supported harsh measures reluctantly due to a public safety emergency.

Drawing from experience as a public defender, Forman offers a view of the justice system and the human beings caught in its coils, including the young men and women he defended and officials struggling to cope.