Advocates of police reform, including President Biden, say Derek Chauvin’s conviction is a crucial step in ending racist police practices. But abolitionists say it’s too little, too late. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Professor James D. Ward, the author of Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics. Ward explains why he thinks abolishing police can’t work politically, but jailing or even executing killer cops could bring real change.
Guest: Professor James D. Ward is the author of Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics, and the interim director of the Master of Public Policy program and Visiting Professor at Cal Poly.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info.
","author_name":"Slate Podcasts"}