Criminal (In)Justice

What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most

By: Rafael A. Mangual

Narrated by: Charles Constant

In his impassioned-yet-measured book, Rafael A. Mangual offers an incisive critique of America's increasingly radical criminal justice reform movement, and makes a convincing case against the pursuit of "justice" through mass-decarceration and depolicing.

After a summer of violent protests in 2020—sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Rayshard Brooks—a dangerously false narrative gained mainstream acceptance: Criminal justice in the United States is overly punitive and racially oppressive. But, the harshest and loudest condemnations of incarceration, policing, and prosecution are often shallow and at odds with the available data. And the significant harms caused by this false narrative are borne by those who can least afford them: black and brown people who are disproportionately the victims of serious crimes.

In Criminal (In)Justice, Rafael A. Mangual offers a more balanced understanding of American criminal justice, and cautions against discarding traditional crime control measures. A powerful combination of research, data-driven policy journalism, and the author's lived experiences, this book explains what many reform advocates get wrong, and illustrates how the misguided commitment to leniency places America's most vulnerable communities at risk.

The stakes of this moment are incredibly high. Ongoing debates over criminal justice reform have the potential to transform our society for a generation—for better or for worse. Grappling with the data—and the sometimes harsh realities they reflect—is the surest way to minimize the all-too-common injustices plaguing neighborhoods that can least afford them.

Critic reviews

“In Criminal (In)Justice, Rafael Mangual draws on the seemingly forgotten lessons of our past success to make a powerful (and timely) case against discarding the systems and approaches that brought about the remarkable decline in crime that began in the early 1990s. This admirable and highly informed departure from the conventional wisdom about criminal justice in the United States is required reading for those concerned about public safety.”
—William Barr, former U.S. Attorney General and bestselling author of One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General

“Rebuilding trust between the police and communities of color – who disproportionately suffer the impact of crime – requires honesty, understanding, and bravely following the facts wherever they lead. Everyone who cares about the quality of life in America’s most dangerous zip codes has a duty to read this book even if it makes them uncomfortable.”

—Bill Bratton, Ret. Commissioner, NYPD & Chief, LAPD and author of The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America

“For years, elite voices have insisted that the greatest threat to minority communities is a racist criminal justice system, and that decarceration and depolicing are the best way to save black and brown lives. In Criminal (In)Justice, Rafael Mangual steeps himself in the data to expose this narrative about race, crime, and justice as dangerously false – and he offers a better way forward.” —Megyn Kelly, journalist & host of The Megyn Kelly Show, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Settle For More

"To be considered enlightened on incarceration in our times is to learn certain glum mantras suggesting a pitilessly bigoted system America ought be ashamed of. Rafael Mangual is a bearer of truth, which almost always reveals these gloomy tenets as distortions and outright falsehoods. Take heart from his teachings and work to change the world with knowledge rather than agitprop."

—John McWhorter, bestselling author of Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America

“Rafael Mangual has done America a great public service. In this elegantly written, carefully researched book, he explains our exploding crime problem: how we got ourselves into it and how we can get ourselves out. If there’s a more important issue than this, I don’t know what it is.”

—Dennis Prager, nationally syndicated radio talk show host, co-founder of PragerU, and author of The Rational Bible: Deuteronomy

Timely given the current ‘defund’ climate

Well narrated, plenty of data to back up his conclusions. His personal background adds credibility also.

Good read

Author made a meticulous study of criminal justice with view to recent defunding police and reducing incarceration trends in the US, and he makes a sound argument for reassessment of current trends.

excellent

excellent description of common misconceptions with the real issues in the criminal justice system and detailed data to back up his arguments. wish more was discussed about solutions to the problem that aren't usually brought up but still an excellent book

Great rebuttal to the current mainstream argument

Looking forward to his next book !

Very detailed and introspective to both sides of the argument

Great ideas on both sides!

Very good! I like the both sides belief that there are ways to help with issues in criminal justice.