All students are required to write a 10-page summary and critique of either the book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, (Alexander, 2010) OR Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration and How to Achieve Legal Reform (2017). The purpose of the book summary to critically evaluate the materials while offering your reflections in support of or in opposition to the authors points of view. As these are graded relative to the best summaries written, students will score higher by using additional research to support their position or points of view. I suspect many of you might have different political views that might not support the authors position. Nonetheless, rest assured that you will not be discredited for expressing different views. However, please refrain from making irresponsible statements like the author doesnt know what he or she is talking about. It is preferableand more professionalto say that you respectfully disagree?
In addition to book summary (1) identify at least three (3) major problems discussed by the author and (2) propose a practical solution to these problems. This requirement is not part of your general book summary and requires a separate space devoted to each problem you identify. Ideally, you should be able to devote two pages (with a 500-word minimum) to each problem you identified. Be sure to attach these (6-pages) to your book summaries (as an appendix).
