I agree with many of MacDonald's points. I enjoyed the book. It gave me quite a bit to think about. However, as an objective reader, I couldn't help but be disappointed in the lack of citations or support for almost any of her claims. She brings up statistics a lot, which is fine...but rarely cites the sources (other than sometimes mentioning a government agency). No specific report, no study name, no year of study, etc.
I expect writers who are attempting to compel their readers to their line of thinking to not only provide a well thought out argument (which she has done), but to also provide objective data and the sources (which she does not - for the latter).
This book could have been used as a tool to arm those with knowledge that could be shared in a discussion. Instead, they are talking points. Undoubtedly, if you were to discuss these issues with someone of the opposing view, they would ask "How do you know that?" You can't very well say "Well, it's in some book I read" or "It was in some study from some agency."
The exact opposite of MacDonald might be Ann Coulter. Ann is far more provocative and wanting a fight, but she cites every, frickin' source (at least the couple of books I've read of hers do). There are sources for days. But I enjoyed that. While I may not agree with the findings of the source, I enjoyed having the sources available for me to verify.
MacDonald just insists that you take her word for it. And while for the most part, I do, it isn't a strong position I can have because I have no idea if what was claimed is actually true or is what is fairly represented by the agency she claims provided some general statistic.
As a result, I think this book is more for a) "the choir," b) those who might be on the fence (or are curious) and don't care enough to want to research. For those of us who like to dig deeper, understand the facts of the matter, come to our own conclusions, this just doesn't cut it. It's kind of like the difference between reading a book and reading a summary of the book. It's a surface level treatment without providing sources/verification of her premises.
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The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe Hardcover – June 21, 2016
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Heather Mac Donald
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Heather Mac Donald
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Print length248 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherEncounter Books
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Publication dateJune 21, 2016
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Dimensions6.25 x 1 x 9.5 inches
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ISBN-101594038759
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ISBN-13978-1594038754
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Editorial Reviews
Review
PRAISE FOR THE WAR ON COPS
This is a book that can save lives.”
Thomas Sowell
Heather Mac Donald is an unsung hero in the transformation of New York into the safest large city in the United States. Her essays helped to lay out the rationale that gave me and my police commissioners guidance during the largest continuous reduction in crime ever accomplished in our city and nation. This book is a necessary read for anyone wondering what is happening in the capital of the world.’”
The Honorable Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York City
The War on Cops is an important and timely book. Mac Donald’s clear-eyed analysis separates fact from fiction and provides keen insights into the politics at play and the consequences for law-enforcement officers and the communities they are sworn to protect.”
Ray Kelly, former commissioner of the New York City Police Department
If you have heard the rhetoric on all sides of the issues involving the police, and would like some facts to put that rhetoric to the test, there is no better source than The War on Cops. Whether you want facts about the explosive events in Ferguson, Missouri, or in Baltimore, or you want to know why murder rates in New York City fell sharply in the 1990s, this is the place to find solid information. If you want to understand the role of race in all this, that, too, is documented with data. This is a book that can save lives.”
Thomas Sowell, the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Heather Mac Donald has made an indispensable contribution to our public debates with her incisive and critical reporting on the thorny issues of race, crime, and policing in America’s big cities. Time and again, I have found myself turning to her writings for guidance. While I do not always agree with what I find, I often do. Moreover, I am invariably edified. All serious students of urban America today should read this book and reckon with its arguments.”
Glenn C. Loury, the Merton P. Stolz Professor of the Social Sciences, Brown University
The War on Cops offers a perspective that supporters of law enforcement have long been waiting for. It is informed by street-level reporting, knowledge of real-world policing, and empirical research. Unlike many in academia and journalism, Mac Donald understands that assertive policing protects law-abiding poorand often minoritycitizens trapped in ghettos where violence and crime are unfortunately making a comeback.”
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
PRAISE FOR HEATHER MAC DONALD
'No journalist now writing about urban problems has produced a body of work matching that of Heather Mac Donald.'
George F. Will
The best and most intrepid journalist writing on racial issues today.”
Shelby Steele
If there were any justice in the world, Mac Donald would be knee-deep in Pulitzer Prizes and National Magazine Awards for her pioneering work.”
David Brooks
This is a book that can save lives.”
Thomas Sowell
Heather Mac Donald is an unsung hero in the transformation of New York into the safest large city in the United States. Her essays helped to lay out the rationale that gave me and my police commissioners guidance during the largest continuous reduction in crime ever accomplished in our city and nation. This book is a necessary read for anyone wondering what is happening in the capital of the world.’”
The Honorable Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York City
The War on Cops is an important and timely book. Mac Donald’s clear-eyed analysis separates fact from fiction and provides keen insights into the politics at play and the consequences for law-enforcement officers and the communities they are sworn to protect.”
Ray Kelly, former commissioner of the New York City Police Department
If you have heard the rhetoric on all sides of the issues involving the police, and would like some facts to put that rhetoric to the test, there is no better source than The War on Cops. Whether you want facts about the explosive events in Ferguson, Missouri, or in Baltimore, or you want to know why murder rates in New York City fell sharply in the 1990s, this is the place to find solid information. If you want to understand the role of race in all this, that, too, is documented with data. This is a book that can save lives.”
Thomas Sowell, the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Heather Mac Donald has made an indispensable contribution to our public debates with her incisive and critical reporting on the thorny issues of race, crime, and policing in America’s big cities. Time and again, I have found myself turning to her writings for guidance. While I do not always agree with what I find, I often do. Moreover, I am invariably edified. All serious students of urban America today should read this book and reckon with its arguments.”
Glenn C. Loury, the Merton P. Stolz Professor of the Social Sciences, Brown University
The War on Cops offers a perspective that supporters of law enforcement have long been waiting for. It is informed by street-level reporting, knowledge of real-world policing, and empirical research. Unlike many in academia and journalism, Mac Donald understands that assertive policing protects law-abiding poorand often minoritycitizens trapped in ghettos where violence and crime are unfortunately making a comeback.”
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
PRAISE FOR HEATHER MAC DONALD
'No journalist now writing about urban problems has produced a body of work matching that of Heather Mac Donald.'
George F. Will
The best and most intrepid journalist writing on racial issues today.”
Shelby Steele
If there were any justice in the world, Mac Donald would be knee-deep in Pulitzer Prizes and National Magazine Awards for her pioneering work.”
David Brooks
About the Author
Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal.
A non-practicing lawyer, Mac Donald has clerked for the Honorable Stephen Reinhardt, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, has been an attorney-adviser in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a volunteer with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York City.
The New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers Association conferred its Civilian Valor Award on her in 2004. She was awarded the 2008 Integrity in Journalism award from the New York State Shields. She was also the recipient of the 2008 Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration from the Center for Immigration Studies and the 2012 Quill & Badge Award for Excellence in Communication from the International Union of Police Associations.
Her writings have also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, The New Republic, Partisan Review, The New Criterion, Public Interest, and Academic Questions.
Mac Donald received her B.A. in English from Yale University, graduating with a Mellon Fellowship to Cambridge University, where she earned her M.A. in English and studied in Italy through a Clare College study grant. Her J.D. is from Stanford University Law School.
A non-practicing lawyer, Mac Donald has clerked for the Honorable Stephen Reinhardt, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, has been an attorney-adviser in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a volunteer with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York City.
The New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers Association conferred its Civilian Valor Award on her in 2004. She was awarded the 2008 Integrity in Journalism award from the New York State Shields. She was also the recipient of the 2008 Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration from the Center for Immigration Studies and the 2012 Quill & Badge Award for Excellence in Communication from the International Union of Police Associations.
Her writings have also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, The New Republic, Partisan Review, The New Criterion, Public Interest, and Academic Questions.
Mac Donald received her B.A. in English from Yale University, graduating with a Mellon Fellowship to Cambridge University, where she earned her M.A. in English and studied in Italy through a Clare College study grant. Her J.D. is from Stanford University Law School.
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Product details
- Publisher : Encounter Books; First American Edition (June 21, 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 248 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1594038759
- ISBN-13 : 978-1594038754
- Item Weight : 1.13 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 1 x 9.5 inches
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#350,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #552 in Law Enforcement Politics
- #558 in Law Enforcement (Books)
- #728 in Violence in Society (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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1,404 global ratings
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Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2018
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152 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2018
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The Democrats have long had the Police under their radar. Less real policing allows political activists free rein to attack those they hate without any consequences. Soros has long funded violent activists to protest against borders, immigration, healthcare, and anything that will bring down countries. Poland banned him and his political activists ans so should the USA or any other Western World if they don't want their country to end up under a totalitarian state, the kind of state the wealthy love.
65 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2018
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I was hoping for more - a more in-depth discourse on how the public, and police officers, should respond to the "war on cops". Unfortunately, it seems to me that Mac Donald dove too deeply into "the weeds" in her attempt to explain or justify her position that there is a war on cops. Not that I disagree, but this, for me, is where I began to lose interest in her exposé. Having served in law enforcement for 30 years, I concur with Mac Donald's conclusion that there is a war on cops. However, the war on cops started a very long time ago. Mac Donald appears to claim the discovery of the "Ferguson effect" - the reluctance by police officer to engage in self-initiated law enforcement activities in favor of reactive responses to perceived or actual criminal activity. I submit that that effect began in 1991, as the "Rodney King effect". Watch the video (ALL of them), read the transcripts of the state trial (in which the officers were acquitted), recall the condemnation by President George H.W. Bush (BEFORE the trial), actions by he US Attorney General, and subsequent conviction in federal court. The impact on law enforcement officers of that time was palpable. Mac Donald, I think correctly highlights the arbitrary and capricious nature of decision by federal judges, which I believe, suggests that the authority of individual federal judges should be curbed and substituted, at minimum, with federal judicial panels (3 or more judges) which would be more likely to consider all facts and render a more balanced opinion. Failure to address, and reverse, the war on cops (actual or perceived) could have catastrophic results. Cops enter the profession as young men and women - they want to serve, they have ideals, they want to make a difference in their communities. These cops risk everything - their job, their family, their reputations, and their freedom. Condemning cops, who are trying to do the right thing, as thugs, racists or criminals can only lead to a disastrous result not anticipated by their critics.
41 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2018
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Ms. MacDonald does an amazing job of using indisputable facts to show the truth of the matter: there is NO crisis in America concerning law enforcement illegally or inappropriately using inordinate or excessive force against citizens, specifically persons of color. It occurs, of course, but it is statistically insignificant compared to how these allegedly discriminated-against groups assault, murder, and otherwise victimize themselves and each other. For example, young black male persons are far more likely to be killed by other young black male persons than law enforcement officers.
The text is presented in a far better manner to understand than the invective often utilized by fringe groups, or the hyperbole chosen by the mainstream media. The book would be useful for students or researchers looking for data to combat the false narratives espoused by leftist groups.
The text is presented in a far better manner to understand than the invective often utilized by fringe groups, or the hyperbole chosen by the mainstream media. The book would be useful for students or researchers looking for data to combat the false narratives espoused by leftist groups.
34 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2017
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Ms.MacDonald doesn't dance around the ugly truth that solving America's crime problems seems to have taken second fiddle to exaggerating America's cop problems. For reasons I still don't understand, the left has decided that the annual deaths of as many as 6,000 black males is less important than the extremely rare unjustified police homicide of an innocent. Ms.Macadonalds reference to the destruction of the black family alludes to why; acknowledging their participation in that collapse indicts their entire agenda.
42 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
Glenn
1.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of info with zero sources/citations offered
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2020Verified Purchase
A book like this needed to be written. However, it also needed to include citations for readers to see where the data was coming from. There are none at all. Reads like an editorial piece. Hopefully somebody does a better job of this in the near future.
2 people found this helpful
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Chris X
5.0 out of 5 stars
IMPORTANT
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2020Verified Purchase
Considering what's going at the moment this is very much needed to reveal the truth.
2 people found this helpful
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Ace face
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unflinching critique of the politics of policing in the USA
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2019Verified Purchase
Fascinating to read, full of examples backed by data and/or research.
2 people found this helpful
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Rosa Ventura
4.0 out of 5 stars
Especially during these difficult times -this is a must read!
Reviewed in Canada on October 2, 2020Verified Purchase
An eye opening book that addressed issues of Police, crime rates, politics and identity in the United states.
The book is about Crime and police tactics in general. How crime has ebbed and flowed and what Police tactics have or have not worked in the diminution of crime rates. The author discusses the role of more active police tactics, i.e. " broken window", that were implemented in the 90's and its positive effects on significantly lowering crime rates. At the same time these tactics have increased the number of complaints and criticisms i.e. that this policy is overtly Racist and is systematically designed to punish or harm black and minority populations. The author claims the exact opposite she lays out the case that the reason that there are more black arrests and criminals is due to the simple fact that Blacks commit by far more crimes than other populations, both in real and percentage of population terms.
This was startling and difficult for to me to hear , but she does provide the data that seems support her thesis.
The proper metric for crime statistics should be based on the total number of crimes not on the total population of the country. And as a percentage of all crimes blacks far out number other races in the ratio of crimes committed . Mac Donald claims that police should logically be dispatched to areas of highest crime which are often mostly minority populations. Black lives matter movement claims that this is not the real reason but rather that these tactics " broken window" etc are racist by intent and nature. But the numbers do not support the BLM argument and suggests that the more serious threat to minority populations is the extremely high black on black crime. The reduction of overall crime and early intervention in those very same communities is the solution, she claims, and this is the intent of the "broken window" type programs. Racism exists but the position that the Policing system is structurally racist without taking fully into consideration the behaviours of the populations involved is more ideological than based on facts.
Though it was difficult for someone like me to read this book, as it went against by current opinions I do think that the author did a good Job of trying to keep as close to the argument as possible without going into higher level speculations on politics , identity politics etc. I hope many people will read this book so as to have a good understanding of the facts which are not very often discussed in mainstream media. What we make of these facts and the policies and programs that these facts should engender is a political question that we must engage in.
The book is about Crime and police tactics in general. How crime has ebbed and flowed and what Police tactics have or have not worked in the diminution of crime rates. The author discusses the role of more active police tactics, i.e. " broken window", that were implemented in the 90's and its positive effects on significantly lowering crime rates. At the same time these tactics have increased the number of complaints and criticisms i.e. that this policy is overtly Racist and is systematically designed to punish or harm black and minority populations. The author claims the exact opposite she lays out the case that the reason that there are more black arrests and criminals is due to the simple fact that Blacks commit by far more crimes than other populations, both in real and percentage of population terms.
This was startling and difficult for to me to hear , but she does provide the data that seems support her thesis.
The proper metric for crime statistics should be based on the total number of crimes not on the total population of the country. And as a percentage of all crimes blacks far out number other races in the ratio of crimes committed . Mac Donald claims that police should logically be dispatched to areas of highest crime which are often mostly minority populations. Black lives matter movement claims that this is not the real reason but rather that these tactics " broken window" etc are racist by intent and nature. But the numbers do not support the BLM argument and suggests that the more serious threat to minority populations is the extremely high black on black crime. The reduction of overall crime and early intervention in those very same communities is the solution, she claims, and this is the intent of the "broken window" type programs. Racism exists but the position that the Policing system is structurally racist without taking fully into consideration the behaviours of the populations involved is more ideological than based on facts.
Though it was difficult for someone like me to read this book, as it went against by current opinions I do think that the author did a good Job of trying to keep as close to the argument as possible without going into higher level speculations on politics , identity politics etc. I hope many people will read this book so as to have a good understanding of the facts which are not very often discussed in mainstream media. What we make of these facts and the policies and programs that these facts should engender is a political question that we must engage in.
2 people found this helpful
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Allan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truth
Reviewed in Canada on January 2, 2020Verified Purchase
Of course the left dismiss Heather MacDonald as a an "alt right" voice or some such thing. Her book lays out many of the deceptions, mistruths and some outright lies perpetrated by the media in recent years, which have fueled the fire of racial discontent in America, with little analysis of any actual facts. MacDonald provides facts as well as a different opinion - that the police are not the problem - that any one legitimately interested in the state of affairs regarding police and race should want to read. The challenge for many will be setting aside their opinions - oftentimes based on years of media manipulation (as well as classroom manipulation) - and read with an open mind.
3 people found this helpful
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