The War on Neighborhoods: Policing, Prison, and Punishment in a Divided City

THE WAR ON NEIGHBORHOODS is a look at a west Chicago neighborhood and the consequences of the unjust punishment of disadvantage. The problem is clearly defined; the cause and effect of punitive justice is logical; and the case histories are heart-wrenching. In our time of outcry for civil justice, this look at Chicago as a segregated city is relevant as we seek solutions to the decimation of urban neighborhoods. The reader has eyes opened to the generational destruction of the potential of people of color in urban areas. As solutions to the defined problems, the authors cite the initiatives that have been successful in Chicago and what it will take to progress in the long term. The socially conscious reader will be enlightened; public servants will close this book with hope and solutions necessary to do their work. THE WAR ON NEIGHBORHOODS could be talking about your urban neighborhood.

Absolutely loved this brilliant book, The War on Neighborhoods, which centers Chicago's West Side (e.g., Austin and Oak Park neighborhoods) as a historical and living example of racial inequities and structural oppression at individual, interpersonal and institutional levels that are seen all over our country (international by design, though in different models). The authors use powerful narratives of West Side residents and system actors coupled with incredibly thoughtful and thorough research to illustrate structural disparities. They also offer community-based solutions that are translatable into policy throughout their book. This book is an absolute must-read for us all.

This is a must read! Ryan and Daniel have done some amazingly important work which sheds major light on what has become a very uncomfortable conversation for most folks residing in the USA. The United States systemic policing and incarceration of poverty stricken neighborhoods with populations that are primarily people of color is part of a larger narrative of the prison industrial complex and furthermore tied to colonial origins of this nation of conquest. By looking at specific neighborhoods of Chicago and what is affectionately known as the “Heroin Highway” Ryan and Daniel reveal much of the disparity and injustice that is imposed on many so called United States’ citizens. If we are to heal our collective history conversations like these outlined in this book need to be a more regular occurrence. Grab your copy now.

"Truths do not become real for us until they feel personal." Many have said this, and The War on Neighborhoods brings any reader closer to the chilling effects of our incarceration system through it's use of research woven through story. No matter your background or experience with the criminal justice system, even if you've never been to Chicago, you will feel connected to the subject matter and you will find a new level of caring. Best part about this book is that its written by academics who have also lived the work and are able to share their knowledge in a palatable compelling way. Which isn't always the case! We need more experts who can write this way.

Gives great detail into the how and why of the circular firing squad that is our low-income high crime areas. Gives solutions too but needs more detail on those.

Genius!

As a native of Chicago, this is a great book that provides a first hand analysis and review of the people of color that live on the West side of Chicago (in a segregated neighborhood), that survive daily violence and crime. The book discusses the broken approach from a public policy/safety perspective, and how Chicago leaders have tried and failed to create peace through punishment and alignment of money towards crime suppression vs. what the residents of the community basic needs are. This includes jobs, housing, mental health, for example. The authors include data, memorable stories and discusses why a punishment solution has not and will not create peace. Chicago leaders need to rethink and develop new ways to invest in the people, infrastructure and well being of the community. This problem has clearly gotten worse over the years and the pain and suffering here, other area local and national area communities need to be addressed. Poverty and the violence in the community won't be solved unless greater transformative ideas are employed.

Beginning in the 1960s, the two major competing political parties engaged in a game of one-upmanship to see who could appear tougher on crime. The result of this, and of other government policies, was the highest criminal incarceration rate in the world, and the creation of a class of citizens who found themselves forever trapped in a a cycle of poverty and crime. The authors of this book are both long time community workers and activists in Chicago, and are well acquainted with the criminal justice system and city government corruption, and have done a fine job of documenting the effects of what has become in many ways a war on the poor. Where they have done less well, I think, is in prescribing a solution. They'd like to see much of the responsibility and the power of the criminal justice system delegated to locale community organizations, creating, in effect, a parallel system that might be even more (as I see it) open to corruption and manipulation by powerful interests. I may be wrong, of course, and the reader will have to judge for themselves. Agree or not, it's a good introduction to a major societal problem.

Ryan Lugalia-Hollon and Daniel Cooper challenge this ideology, rooted in the individualistic worldview of American capitalism, as it is played out in Austin, one of the poorest neighborhoods on Chicago’s west side. While it focuses its research on a specific neighborhood, The War on Neighborhoods is really about a more general attitude toward punishment, poverty, and the narrative of individualism that dominates the public discourse and policy around poor urban communities. Since Nixon declared a “war on drugs”—the policies of which really were put in to place during the Reagan years—communities like Austin have seen a massive divestment in any kind of community support. It is the logic of neoliberalism and austerity that has brought about the closing of community centers, health (including mental health) clinics, and schools. And it is the narrative of individual responsibility that has led our society on this path. We have been told, again and again, that crime is the product of bad decisions and failing families. We have seen the images on the news of black men committing crimes, heard the stereotypes of the absent father and the “Welfare Queen” single mother. But Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper show that not only are these stereotypes false—research shows, for example, that black fathers are just as present and attentive as white ones—but that the dysfunction of neighborhoods like Austin are also in no small part created by the policies that come out of these narratives. In other words, because Americans believe that black men are “criminals”, policies have been created that disproportionately send them to jail, and these policies are the cause, not the effect, of the destruction of these communities. As scholars and urban planners, Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper unpack the actual impact of funding cuts in social programs vs. money invested in prisons. Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper are not only scholars, but also organizers and activists who have worked for years on the West side. The power of their arguments comes from the personal connections they can draw from and the local voices they include in the book. Particularly powerful are the interviews with residents about their encounters with violence, police, and the justice system. per impact—the war on neighborhoods has been traumatizing. Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper point us toward public policies that reflect this interconnectedness, moving from mere individual responsibility to collective responsibility.

This book clearly explains an important part of our society - the misinvestment in disadvantaged neighborhoods and the generational toll that has resulted. This has always been important - but is particularly relevant right now, as we have a nationwide reckoning about the meaning of "public safety." Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper bring together three crucial conversations, about police reform, mass incarceration, and violence reduction. They argue convincingly that we cannot "incarcerate our way to public safety." True public safety will take investment in strong neighborhood civic infrastructure that strengthens and connects neighborhood leaders, organizations, and assets to each other and outside resources. They argue for creating "no-entry neighborhoods" - as opposed to re-entry neighborhoods - grounded in restorative processes led by community-based peacemakers. For everyone who is asking the question - What should we do? - this is an important read. While it focuses on Chicago, it provides a lens for understanding what is happening all across our country right now. this is an important read. While it focuses on Chicago, it provides a lens for understanding what is happening all across our country right now. And acting to make a

THE WAR ON NEIGHBORHOODS is a look at a west Chicago neighborhood and the consequences of the unjust punishment of disadvantage. The problem is clearly defined; the cause and effect of punitive justice is logical; and the case histories are heart-wrenching. In our time of outcry for civil justice, this look at Chicago as a segregated city is relevant as we seek solutions to the decimation of urban neighborhoods. The reader has eyes opened to the generational destruction of the potential of people of color in urban areas. As solutions to the defined problems, the authors cite the initiatives that have been successful in Chicago and what it will take to progress in the long term. The socially conscious reader will be enlightened; public servants will close this book with hope and solutions necessary to do their work. THE WAR ON NEIGHBORHOODS could be talking about your urban neighborhood.

Absolutely loved this brilliant book, The War on Neighborhoods, which centers Chicago's West Side (e.g., Austin and Oak Park neighborhoods) as a historical and living example of racial inequities and structural oppression at individual, interpersonal and institutional levels that are seen all over our country (international by design, though in different models). The authors use powerful narratives of West Side residents and system actors coupled with incredibly thoughtful and thorough research to illustrate structural disparities. They also offer community-based solutions that are translatable into policy throughout their book. This book is an absolute must-read for us all.

This is a must read! Ryan and Daniel have done some amazingly important work which sheds major light on what has become a very uncomfortable conversation for most folks residing in the USA. The United States systemic policing and incarceration of poverty stricken neighborhoods with populations that are primarily people of color is part of a larger narrative of the prison industrial complex and furthermore tied to colonial origins of this nation of conquest. By looking at specific neighborhoods of Chicago and what is affectionately known as the “Heroin Highway” Ryan and Daniel reveal much of the disparity and injustice that is imposed on many so called United States’ citizens. If we are to heal our collective history conversations like these outlined in this book need to be a more regular occurrence. Grab your copy now.

"Truths do not become real for us until they feel personal." Many have said this, and The War on Neighborhoods brings any reader closer to the chilling effects of our incarceration system through it's use of research woven through story. No matter your background or experience with the criminal justice system, even if you've never been to Chicago, you will feel connected to the subject matter and you will find a new level of caring. Best part about this book is that its written by academics who have also lived the work and are able to share their knowledge in a palatable compelling way. Which isn't always the case! We need more experts who can write this way.

Gives great detail into the how and why of the circular firing squad that is our low-income high crime areas. Gives solutions too but needs more detail on those.

Genius!

As a native of Chicago, this is a great book that provides a first hand analysis and review of the people of color that live on the West side of Chicago (in a segregated neighborhood), that survive daily violence and crime. The book discusses the broken approach from a public policy/safety perspective, and how Chicago leaders have tried and failed to create peace through punishment and alignment of money towards crime suppression vs. what the residents of the community basic needs are. This includes jobs, housing, mental health, for example. The authors include data, memorable stories and discusses why a punishment solution has not and will not create peace. Chicago leaders need to rethink and develop new ways to invest in the people, infrastructure and well being of the community. This problem has clearly gotten worse over the years and the pain and suffering here, other area local and national area communities need to be addressed. Poverty and the violence in the community won't be solved unless greater transformative ideas are employed.

Beginning in the 1960s, the two major competing political parties engaged in a game of one-upmanship to see who could appear tougher on crime. The result of this, and of other government policies, was the highest criminal incarceration rate in the world, and the creation of a class of citizens who found themselves forever trapped in a a cycle of poverty and crime. The authors of this book are both long time community workers and activists in Chicago, and are well acquainted with the criminal justice system and city government corruption, and have done a fine job of documenting the effects of what has become in many ways a war on the poor. Where they have done less well, I think, is in prescribing a solution. They'd like to see much of the responsibility and the power of the criminal justice system delegated to locale community organizations, creating, in effect, a parallel system that might be even more (as I see it) open to corruption and manipulation by powerful interests. I may be wrong, of course, and the reader will have to judge for themselves. Agree or not, it's a good introduction to a major societal problem.

Ryan Lugalia-Hollon and Daniel Cooper challenge this ideology, rooted in the individualistic worldview of American capitalism, as it is played out in Austin, one of the poorest neighborhoods on Chicago’s west side. While it focuses its research on a specific neighborhood, The War on Neighborhoods is really about a more general attitude toward punishment, poverty, and the narrative of individualism that dominates the public discourse and policy around poor urban communities. Since Nixon declared a “war on drugs”—the policies of which really were put in to place during the Reagan years—communities like Austin have seen a massive divestment in any kind of community support. It is the logic of neoliberalism and austerity that has brought about the closing of community centers, health (including mental health) clinics, and schools. And it is the narrative of individual responsibility that has led our society on this path. We have been told, again and again, that crime is the product of bad decisions and failing families. We have seen the images on the news of black men committing crimes, heard the stereotypes of the absent father and the “Welfare Queen” single mother. But Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper show that not only are these stereotypes false—research shows, for example, that black fathers are just as present and attentive as white ones—but that the dysfunction of neighborhoods like Austin are also in no small part created by the policies that come out of these narratives. In other words, because Americans believe that black men are “criminals”, policies have been created that disproportionately send them to jail, and these policies are the cause, not the effect, of the destruction of these communities. As scholars and urban planners, Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper unpack the actual impact of funding cuts in social programs vs. money invested in prisons. Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper are not only scholars, but also organizers and activists who have worked for years on the West side. The power of their arguments comes from the personal connections they can draw from and the local voices they include in the book. Particularly powerful are the interviews with residents about their encounters with violence, police, and the justice system. per impact—the war on neighborhoods has been traumatizing. Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper point us toward public policies that reflect this interconnectedness, moving from mere individual responsibility to collective responsibility.

This book clearly explains an important part of our society - the misinvestment in disadvantaged neighborhoods and the generational toll that has resulted. This has always been important - but is particularly relevant right now, as we have a nationwide reckoning about the meaning of "public safety." Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper bring together three crucial conversations, about police reform, mass incarceration, and violence reduction. They argue convincingly that we cannot "incarcerate our way to public safety." True public safety will take investment in strong neighborhood civic infrastructure that strengthens and connects neighborhood leaders, organizations, and assets to each other and outside resources. They argue for creating "no-entry neighborhoods" - as opposed to re-entry neighborhoods - grounded in restorative processes led by community-based peacemakers. For everyone who is asking the question - What should we do? - this is an important read. While it focuses on Chicago, it provides a lens for understanding what is happening all across our country right now. this is an important read. While it focuses on Chicago, it provides a lens for understanding what is happening all across our country right now. And acting to make a

This book really helped me understand “systemic racism.” Often when we hear that term, it goes in one ear and out the other because it alludes to something enormous and made up of so many tiny connecting parts. Our brains don’t latch on to it like it does the overt racism we see over and over of unarmed black men being shot point-blank or strangled by white cops. But this book takes a statistic like the fact that Chicago’s west side neighborhood of Austin has 10 times the incarceration rate of Russia(!!) and picks it apart until we start to see all the little cogs and connecting parts. We see raw molten iron going into the machine—different laws, different treatment, different resources for Black neighborhoods. And then we see the end-product coming out—neighborhoods devoid of adults, traumatized children, no choices, no power. The book reveals a deep-seated fear of Black success in our country and decades of plans hatched and money spent to make places like Austin into streamlined pipes that feed money-making prisons and assure that Black people will not have the property, wealth, or power to change policy that white people have. The book ends by highlighting many grassroots programs that are working hard to hold back the tide, maybe even diminish its force. Read this book. Please. It is poignant and unfortunately more timely than ever.

I was received a copy of "The War on Neighborhoods" by by Ryan Lugalia-Hollon and Daniel Cooper from LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review. A phenomenal, if difficult read. This book was thoroughly researched, well-presented, and though-provoking. It did what "Freakanomics" promised but never provided for me-- caused me to think about a pervasive and complicated issue from a new perspective. I ended up leaving several bookmarks with so I can go back and read some of their sources. I highly recommend this book.

This is one of those book where you THINK you know what is going on. The topic is not new to me but the numbers are still nothing short of staggering. The problem is so much larger than I'd ever have imagined - frankly, it's tough to get your mind around. In this superbly well written book, the authors take great pains to paint a picture of the incredible diversity and division existing side by side in cities across the nation...in some instances, just a street or two away from one another. The book is deeply disturbing and utterly fascinating. Well written and engaging, this book should be a "must read" for counselors, educators, police, policymakers and others.

The authors set a scene for the reader to understand what it feels like to move across a city with uneven development and systematic disinvestment where poverty is no accident and both policy-makers and those charged with upholding laws are implicated. Many books dealing with policing and prisons make broad generalizations, while this book takes you into a neighborhood to understand the scale at a tangible level. Read this book to make you think about geography and power - and then use this book to do something about the urgent issues of our time!

Using the westernmost area in Chicago known as Austin, this book uses statistics and examples to research why an entire population is rendered vulnerable. Following WWII, many businesses that employed residents were shuttered, resulting in either improbable commutes that failed to generate working wages. Leaving the inhabitants no choice but to participate in what became to be known as "street economy," or drug trafficking. An important, sad book.

The complex intersection of criminal justice and racism in America is thoughtfully laid out by Lugalia-Hollon and Cooper. These gentlemen not only draw out the root causes of poverty that taint the political and judicial systems in America but they also empower the reader to address these problems through policy change and community action. The writers know Chicago and obviously love the people who live there, especially those who are far too often forgotten. They write in a clear, engaging and digestible style that makes even the most complex concepts easy for the reader to understand. A must read!!!

The divided city - a microcosm of the divided country and world we are in today. This book brings to life how policies and policing can be used to steadily dehumanize. This story of Chicago is the story of so many cities. In addition to gracefully lifting the voices and lived experiences of so many unwilling victims to these realities, the authors also lift the work of activists, organizers, and organizations looking to evolve Chicago and its policies. Using their research to share both the pain and the progress makes this book a great example of socially responsible scholarship.