Get Off My Neck - Black Lives...
Debbie Hines
A deeply revealing exposé of the American prosecutorial system and its historic and present racial inequities—and how we can transform the system to one of fairness and justice.In Get Off My Neck, Debbie Hinesdraws on her unique perspective as a trial lawyer, former Baltimoreprosecutor, and assistant attorney general for the State of Maryland to argue that US prosecutors, as themost powerful players in the criminal justice system, systematically target and criminalize Black people. Hinesdescribes her disillusionment as a young Black woman who initially entered the profession with the goal ofhelping victims of crimes, only to discover herself aiding and abetting a system that prizes plea bargaining,speedy conviction, and excessive punishment above all else. In this book, she offers concrete, specific, andhopeful solutions for just how we can come together in a common purpose for criminal justice and racial justicereform.Get Off My Neck explains that the racial inequities in the prosecutorial system are built into our country’sDNA. What’s more, they are the direct result of a history that has conditioned Americans to perceive the Blackbody as insignificant at best and dangerous at worst. Unlike other books that discuss the prosecutor’s officeand change from inside the office, Hinesoffers a proactive approach to fixing our broken prosecutorial systemthrough a broad-based alliance of reform-minded prosecutors, activists, allies, communities, and racial justiceorganizations—all working together to end the racist treatment of Black people.Told intimately through personal, family, and client narratives, Get Off My Neck is not only a deeply soberingaccount of our criminal justice system and its devastating impact on Black children, youth, and adults but alsoa practical and inspiring roadmap for how we can start doing better right now.
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