Carl Suddler: Presumed Criminal: Black Youth and the Justice System in Postwar New York

Carl Suddler’s Presumed Criminal: Black Youth and the Justice System in Postwar New York investigates how the black community has been historically connected to the criminal justice system and the impact that has had on the black community as a whole. In doing so, Suddler also analyzes New York’s increased police surveillance on the black community and how that policy affected crime rates. The main argument of Presumed Criminal is that presumptions about black youth lead to the historic criminalization of black people, a fact that the criminal justice system is still trying to correct. Suddler achieves a narrative that avoids jargon, making his writing approachable for all audiences. Readers likely will find the book easy to understand and follow. The book follows a linear path but successfully demonstrates how complicated and intertwined the criminal justice system is with the black community. …