interesting

Very interesting topic, a lot wrong with the American justice system and treatment of black Americans,another very well made audible documentary.

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excellent and moving. so important

great podcast looking into the origins of police brutality against black communities and it's connection with the so-calldd war on drugs.
so important to hear, and brilliantly executed.

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Insightful and thoughtful

Good information and well put together. It was great to know about various different sides to this issue and how it's journey has come to today's outcome.

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3 people found this helpful

Eye-opening

This has changed my view of crime, drugs and my approach to my career. I couldn't stop listening and finished in less than a day!

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1 person found this helpful

very interesting but shocking

I wasn't very surprised that so many black youngsters are incarcerated for petty crimes after listening to Bryan Stevenson's brilliant Just Mercy.
My heart breaks for people who have no hope or future because of their skin colour!

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Interesting

Interesting to hear the different sides to the "war on drugs". Pretty sad story all round and good to get background stories.

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2 people found this helpful

Smart, interesting podcast

fascinating insight into how the war on drugs has shaped modern American and led to many contemporary issues with race and policing.

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very thought provoking police in the USA are nuts

each time I've gone to the USA I am more worried about the police than anyone else and I'm British!

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4 people found this helpful

An Uncomfortable Mirror to Gaze Into!

Drug dealing is something I feel strongly about, the damage drugs are doing to our society and the way that they are ruining lives is something I have always believed can't be under-estimated. So along comes Christopher Johnson with a powerful series that asks us to see another side, another dreadful legacy of the war on drugs.

For me he makes a compelling case, indeed an interesting case and I found all of the people whose testimony he used to be credible and engaging. His interviewees all have relevant stories to tell and Johnson himself presents very well. It is however persuasive rather than what I would term investigative journalism. As good as the case he makes is, and we hear from everyone from drug dealers to lawyers and even a judge, it is a series designed to make a point rather than examine something from all angles.

As such single witness testimonies are presented to describe events. There is no attempt to present the other side and I felt quite strongly that the impact of crack cocaine usage was played down. Statistics were presented in a very ones-sided manner and none of the witnesses are ever challenged about their views or facts. Don't get me wrong I can fully understand this given the weight of biased propaganda that has existed about the war on drugs for a long time now! And Johnson makes a very eloquent and compelling case about real injustices that have also occurred and how modern politics and serious institutional failings have largely made things worse.

In summary while I'm worried about the way that the consequences of crack usage are largely downplayed Johnson has opened my eyes to this equally damaging and important legacy so I'm very glad that I listened to his series. No matter how strongly we feel about drugs society has to remain humane and balanced in its responses. This series holds up an uncomfortable mirror to how well this has been achieved, and I always think that looking in such mirrors has to be a good thing.

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35 people found this helpful

belief based policy fail

the war on drugs spectacularly failed. instead of addiction care, USA spends billions militarising the police. instead of charging white drug offenders equally, the USA targeted Black people. instead of interventions, they built more prisons.
instead of providing decent social housing, they allow private landlords to charge high rents, so people sell drugs to survive.
it's good to hear the judge admit it

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