Don't Shoot : One Man, a Street Fellowship, and the End of Violence in Inner-City America

by Kennedy, David M.

• ISBN13: 9781608192649
• ISBN10: 1608192644
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-09-27
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Summary

Gang- and drug-related violence is the defining crime problem in our country, and has been for decades. The statistics are alarming and the toll incalculable, and despite countless initiatives from government, law enforcement and social service communities, little has proven effective. Still, remarkably, David Kennedy foresees what no one else could imagine: a happy ending. He has been on the front lines ever since putting together the law enforcement recipe now known as the Boston Miracle, which during the crack epidemic of the 90s cut gang and drug related violence in half. Since then, "Operation Ceasefire" has been refined and deployed- with astonishing success- in over 50 cities. With the endorsement of Attorney General Eric Holder and the National Drug Czar, Kennedy's ideas have become de facto national policy. Don't Shoottells the story of Kennedy's long journey toward a solution. It began with listening to people on the ground, and what he heard was that there was a trust gap between law enforcement and the community. Closing that gap became the cornerstone of his approach, organizing powerful gatherings in which offenders came together with law enforcers and diverse community members and were asked to stop the violence. It's not that simple, but then again it is-the magic of the approach and of the book. Don't Shootcombines the street verite of The Wire, the social science of Gang Leader for a Day, and the moral urgency and personal journey of Fist Stick Knife Gun. But beyond that, Kennedy will show, unmistakably, that there can be real solutions.

Author Biography

David M. Kennedy has spent much of the last 25 years on the ground in the country's most dangerous neighborhoods, working with communities to find solutions to crime. The director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control and a professor of criminal justice at John Jay College, Kennedy has received two Webber Seavey awards from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, two Innovations in American Government awards from the Kennedy School of Government, and a Herman Goldstein Problem-Oriented Policing Award. His work has been used as a model or source for safety and drug intervention initiatives by the Clinton and Bush administrations, and by the Bureau of Justice. He also tours regularly to speak to groups that have included U.S. Congress, Scotland Yard, the National District Attorneys' Association, and the National Conference of Mayors. Kennedy lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Table of Contents

“Don’t Shoot will do for the fight against violence what Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring did for the environmental movement a generation ago.” —Malcolm Gladwell

 

“An unlikely criminal-justice pioneer revisits his innovative, immensely successful crusade against youth homicide in America's worst neighborhoods… A valuable text—not just for the solution, but also for the refreshing philosophy behind it.” —Kirkus Reviews

 

“In a matter-of-fact, street-smart style... Kennedy explains his remarkably effective strategies for combating violent crime… This heartfelt book shows what can happen when police, gangs, and communities come together to address some of America's most intractable social problems.”

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

 

“The good news about the drug- and gang-related violence epidemic is that it can be controlled and substantially reduced. As proof, you only have to read David Kennedy’s wonderful new book Don’t Shoot… Now being tried in over 70 communities, David’s campaign is expanding to have the national and international impact it deserves.” —Bill Bratton, chairman of Kroll, former chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department

 

“Don't Shoot is a work of moral philosophy that reads like a crime novel—Immanuel Kant meets Joseph Wambaugh. It’s a fascinating, inspiring, and wonderfully well written story of one man's quest to solve a problem no one thought could be solved: the scourge of inner city gang violence… This is a vitally important work that has the potential to usher in a new era in policing.” —John Seabrook, author of Flash of Genius

 

“Represents one of a small number of ‘big ideas’ revolutionizing crime control, especially policing and prosecution.  Shame on any city, police department, or prosecutor’s office that isn’t learning from [Kennedy’s] experience. What Don’t Shoot documents really matters.” —George Kelling, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, professor of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, and fellow in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University

 

“Kennedy’s ideas extend beyond community policing and serve to revolutionize the entire criminal justice system.” —Garry F. McCarthy, superintendant of Chicago police

 

“Despite the recent and welcome decline in United States crime, gun crime remains a persistent concern in this country. Solutions to the ‘gun problem,’ fueled by ideological, constitutional, and moral debates, diverge considerably.  In Don’t Shoot, David Kennedy elegantly and forcefully describes an approach to stopping gun violence that does not depend on policing gun crime with guns or solving crime’s root causes.  Instead, his approach leans on the power of community trust in the law and officials – legitimacy.  Offenders can and do voluntarily comply with the law. When they do, neighborhoods are safer, fewer people go to prison, and policing is turned on its head.” — Tracey L. Meares, deputy dean and Walton Hale Hamilton Professor, Yale Law School

 

“David Kennedy’s work helped Cincinnati revolutionize the way that we think about policing our community.  His passion for solving the never-ending cycle of violence is evident in every conversation with him.  We have found that by engaging offenders with a strong, unified, community message telling them that the violence must stop and offering them an alternative life, we can have a meaningful and lasting impact in our community.  David’s work is a must read for Mayors around the country confronted with the scourge of gun violence in their cities.” —Mark Mallory, mayor, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“The author brings more than two decades of practical, administrative, managerial, supervisory and academic experience to this work of art.  A unique and comprehensive view of the toxic impact of mass incarceration on our most vulnerable neighborhoods as seen through the eyes of this criminal justice professional. A must read.”    —Patrick R. Melvin, national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)

 

“The book provides a raw and unadulterated look at gang violence as well as Mr. Kennedy’s approach to combating it on a national level…  His commitment over the years has helped to save and change the lives of many youth… This is a must read for all!” —Tyrone C. Parker, executive director, Alliance of Concerned Men

 

“The subheading for this book, ‘The End of Violence in Inner-City America’ would be pretentious if were it not for the indisputable evidence, compelling true stories, and common sense solutions detailed therein.  Bottom line: this works.” —Reverend Kenneth Edward Copeland, New Zion Baptist Church, Rockford, Illinois