Humanities Homework Help

1.1. What are the “two stories” of the historical roots (and purpose) of policing in the United States? Can both be true? 

1.2. What is a “moral panic” and how does it lead to expansion of policing? Explain in reference to Stuart Hall’s account of “mugging” in England, and the War on Drugs in the United States.

1.3. How is racialized mass incarceration a “New Jim Crow?” Explain in reference to its effects today, as well as in relation to previous eras of racial social control. 

1.4. What is qualified immunity? What are the arguments for and against it?

1.5 What is “therapeutic policing” according to Forrest Stuart? What does it aim to do? What does it actually do?

1.6 In what ways are police a financially predatory institution? e.g., what are the ways they can extract resources from communities and generate revenue for cities or private companies? 

1.7 What, according to Keeanga-Yamahatta Taylor, were the tensions between the “old guard” leaders like Al Sharpton and young activists in Ferguson? How are new social movements like Black Lives Matter similar and different from older ones?

1.8 What did Robert Martinson conclude in his report on prison rehabilitation in the 1970s? What did he advocate? How did James Q. Wilson and conservative politicians use the report?

Part 2: Answer 1 of the following 2 essay questions in 1200 words or less. 40 points. 

2.1. Where did racialized mass incarceration come from? How do ideas from James Foreman, Glenn Loury and Adaner Usmani, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, and/or Timothy Crimmins complicate Michelle Alexander’s explanation? Which arguments (or combination of arguments) do you find most compelling? 

2.2. What is the difference between “reformist reforms” and “non-reformist reforms” (also sometimes called “abolitionist” reforms”)? After explaining the difference, address some or all of the following examples: expanding rehabilitative services in prisons; giving police officers deescalation training; increased officer involvement in the community (e.g. coaching youth sports, joining churches); & ensuring abusive police officers are prosecuted. Are these reformist or non-reformist? Why? In your opinion, should they be implemented?