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A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America
A devastating exploration of the extreme levels of violence afflicting Black communities, and a blueprint for addressing the crisis.
About 170,000 Black Americans have died in homicides just since the year 2000. Violence takes more years of life from Black men than cancer, stroke, and diabetes combined; a young Black man in the United States has a fifteen times greater chance of dying from violence than his white counterpart. Even Black women suffer violent death at a higher rate than white men, despite homicide's usual gender patterns. Yet while the country has been rightly outraged by the recent spate of police killings of Black Americans, the shocking amount of "everyday" violence that plagues African American communities receives far less attention, and has nearly disappeared as a target of public policy.
As acclaimed criminologist Elliott Currie makes clear, this pervasive violence is a direct result of the continuing social and economic marginalization of many Black communities in America. Those conditions help perpetuate a level of preventable trauma and needless suffering that has no counterpart anywhere in the developed world. Compelling and accessible, drawing on a rich array of both classic and contemporary research, A Peculiar Indifference describes the dimensions and consequences of this enduring emergency, explains its causes, and offers an urgent plea for long-overdue social action to end it.
About 170,000 Black Americans have died in homicides just since the year 2000. Violence takes more years of life from Black men than cancer, stroke, and diabetes combined; a young Black man in the United States has a fifteen times greater chance of dying from violence than his white counterpart. Even Black women suffer violent death at a higher rate than white men, despite homicide's usual gender patterns. Yet while the country has been rightly outraged by the recent spate of police killings of Black Americans, the shocking amount of "everyday" violence that plagues African American communities receives far less attention, and has nearly disappeared as a target of public policy.
As acclaimed criminologist Elliott Currie makes clear, this pervasive violence is a direct result of the continuing social and economic marginalization of many Black communities in America. Those conditions help perpetuate a level of preventable trauma and needless suffering that has no counterpart anywhere in the developed world. Compelling and accessible, drawing on a rich array of both classic and contemporary research, A Peculiar Indifference describes the dimensions and consequences of this enduring emergency, explains its causes, and offers an urgent plea for long-overdue social action to end it.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2020
68 people are currently reading
2674 people want to read
About the author
Elliott Currie
19 books19 followersDr. Elliott Currie is Professor of Criminology, Law, and Society at the University of California, Irvine. A leading expert on crime, social inequality, and criminal justice policy, he has written extensively on juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, and violence in American society. His acclaimed book Crime and Punishment in America was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction, while Whitewashing Race: The Myth of a Colorblind America was a finalist for the C. Wright Mills Award and winner of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute Book Award. He has served as a consultant for numerous organizations in the United States and abroad on issues of crime prevention, justice reform, and civil rights.
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November 18, 2022
What About Chicago
When I read Tim Wise’s book, “Dear White America,” I thought that I had the proof that I needed to then prove to certain people that blacks were not a violent race. I had read in an article, one that Tim Wise had suggested, that only one or two percent of blacks commit violent crimes in any given year according to the FBI. You can even find these files online. But I was told various things by my friends when I presented this information to them. One said that the FBI is lying because they are corrupt. When I then added that they obtained their information from all the towns and cities in America and that it was averaged out, it fell on deaf ears. Every racist friend claimed that they knew better, and that Chicago was the only proof they needed. One friend even had proof that all Mexicans were criminals, and she was Mexican. Her proof was the one killing in Oregon by a Mexican. Averages meant nothing to them; racism meant everything. Forget calling them racists, for when I finally did, I was met with, “You are trying to divide the country,” or “I am not a racist!!!” The only thing they understood was my saying, “I can no longer be your friend” and hanging the phone up on them. This insanity left me with no other choice but to drop these friendships, friends that I never knew were racists until these last few years when racism came into vogue.
Well, there is no proof that you can give to change the mind of a racist. Not even this book would change their minds, even the author’s saying that violence is not innate in blacks and giving proof of that statement. Still, I wanted to read it for my own knowledge, but as the title of one book says, “Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race,” I am not either. I didn’t read the book, but the title says what I feel. I just don’t wish to be around racist.
So, I began reading this book, and it was replete with statistics. Right up my alley, I thought. Think again. As I sat there listening, I fell to sleep. When I finally woke up, statistics were still being quoted. I skipped those pages so I could stay awake. I wanted other information, and I found it. Violence is Not innate in blacks. And the proof was given. But I will never use it because I can hear what a racist would say about it: “It is all lies.” Still, the information is good to have.
Summary:
Violence in blacks can be traced back to slavery, and to how they were treated afterwards and continue to be treated. It comes from a deep frustration: few jobs, low paying jobs, a deeper poverty than that of the poor white people, and the fact that they can never get ahead due to racism, due to the white man not wishing him to take his good job. All of this has caused some blacks to become violent, to even turn on each other.
Here is one last story that speaks of this poverty: I was in a religion where all races were accepted. My then husband and I were invited to dinner to a black friend’s home. We were served one sweet potato each, nothing else was served. That was all they had to give. To this day I question why the congregation didn’t help them or any of their poor. Even when my husband was out of work due to a strike, we had to fend for ourselves by hocking things we owned.
When I read Tim Wise’s book, “Dear White America,” I thought that I had the proof that I needed to then prove to certain people that blacks were not a violent race. I had read in an article, one that Tim Wise had suggested, that only one or two percent of blacks commit violent crimes in any given year according to the FBI. You can even find these files online. But I was told various things by my friends when I presented this information to them. One said that the FBI is lying because they are corrupt. When I then added that they obtained their information from all the towns and cities in America and that it was averaged out, it fell on deaf ears. Every racist friend claimed that they knew better, and that Chicago was the only proof they needed. One friend even had proof that all Mexicans were criminals, and she was Mexican. Her proof was the one killing in Oregon by a Mexican. Averages meant nothing to them; racism meant everything. Forget calling them racists, for when I finally did, I was met with, “You are trying to divide the country,” or “I am not a racist!!!” The only thing they understood was my saying, “I can no longer be your friend” and hanging the phone up on them. This insanity left me with no other choice but to drop these friendships, friends that I never knew were racists until these last few years when racism came into vogue.
Well, there is no proof that you can give to change the mind of a racist. Not even this book would change their minds, even the author’s saying that violence is not innate in blacks and giving proof of that statement. Still, I wanted to read it for my own knowledge, but as the title of one book says, “Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race,” I am not either. I didn’t read the book, but the title says what I feel. I just don’t wish to be around racist.
So, I began reading this book, and it was replete with statistics. Right up my alley, I thought. Think again. As I sat there listening, I fell to sleep. When I finally woke up, statistics were still being quoted. I skipped those pages so I could stay awake. I wanted other information, and I found it. Violence is Not innate in blacks. And the proof was given. But I will never use it because I can hear what a racist would say about it: “It is all lies.” Still, the information is good to have.
Summary:
Violence in blacks can be traced back to slavery, and to how they were treated afterwards and continue to be treated. It comes from a deep frustration: few jobs, low paying jobs, a deeper poverty than that of the poor white people, and the fact that they can never get ahead due to racism, due to the white man not wishing him to take his good job. All of this has caused some blacks to become violent, to even turn on each other.
Here is one last story that speaks of this poverty: I was in a religion where all races were accepted. My then husband and I were invited to dinner to a black friend’s home. We were served one sweet potato each, nothing else was served. That was all they had to give. To this day I question why the congregation didn’t help them or any of their poor. Even when my husband was out of work due to a strike, we had to fend for ourselves by hocking things we owned.
October 4, 2020
Elliot Currie is a Pulitzer Prize finalist who has clearly done his homework in the writing of this book. Currie references a number of studies and statistics in A Peculiar Indifference in his analysis of the why, how and what of violence in Black America. Currie digs down into why Black people by far outweigh other Americans as victims of violence. He covers many factors including systemic racism, poverty, segregation, unemployment and underemployment. There is a lot of information in this book. This information is all timely and important. Currie even covers the damage done by the current administration as it impacts Black Americans.
I rate this somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
I rate this somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
May 26, 2020
A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America by Elliot Currie is a phenomenal book that both explains the situation in some detail and offers solutions that can resolve the problems. Not simply some bandaids or policy meant as a campaign votegetter, but genuine solutions.
The first part of the book is both the most important for grasping the situation as well as the part that could make some reader's eyes glaze over. It is rich in statistics. Please work through this material, in fact, go slowly. Currie does a wonderful job of explaining what the statistics mean and what they don't mean. He addresses what is glossed over in some studies and what might be needed in future research. He makes this material as interesting as is humanly possible. He works to contextualize the research for us as well as make comparisons so we can better visualize just how significant the disparities are. One thing I would have liked would have been a few actual visuals, but not too many or a reader might be tempted to skim the visuals and miss out on all the nuances.
The research that Currie covers is largely quantitative early on and more qualitative after that foundation has been laid. That is why I think going through the book slowly will pay great dividends. Restating some of the figures to yourself, imagining what those numbers represent, reading the qualitative work carefully and reading with a sense of empathy for not only our fellow citizens but our fellow human beings.
The recommendations he offers to remedy the disparity follow logically from the research. Much of what he says has been said before, but not followed through on. Correcting centuries of mistreatment isn't going to be easy or happen over night, but with a concerted and honest effort it won't take nearly as long as many think. Those who use that excuse, who point to small gains (that sometimes aren't even gains but lateral moves) and say it is a slow process, are the ones who aren't truly invested in making the country better or helping their fellow citizens, they're mostly concerned with maintaining their privilege and unwarranted advantage.
I highly recommend this to anyone who cares about making the world a better place, who want to work toward correcting the centuries of racial discrimination and terrorism, and who want more facts and better ideas to support their arguments and start change rolling.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The first part of the book is both the most important for grasping the situation as well as the part that could make some reader's eyes glaze over. It is rich in statistics. Please work through this material, in fact, go slowly. Currie does a wonderful job of explaining what the statistics mean and what they don't mean. He addresses what is glossed over in some studies and what might be needed in future research. He makes this material as interesting as is humanly possible. He works to contextualize the research for us as well as make comparisons so we can better visualize just how significant the disparities are. One thing I would have liked would have been a few actual visuals, but not too many or a reader might be tempted to skim the visuals and miss out on all the nuances.
The research that Currie covers is largely quantitative early on and more qualitative after that foundation has been laid. That is why I think going through the book slowly will pay great dividends. Restating some of the figures to yourself, imagining what those numbers represent, reading the qualitative work carefully and reading with a sense of empathy for not only our fellow citizens but our fellow human beings.
The recommendations he offers to remedy the disparity follow logically from the research. Much of what he says has been said before, but not followed through on. Correcting centuries of mistreatment isn't going to be easy or happen over night, but with a concerted and honest effort it won't take nearly as long as many think. Those who use that excuse, who point to small gains (that sometimes aren't even gains but lateral moves) and say it is a slow process, are the ones who aren't truly invested in making the country better or helping their fellow citizens, they're mostly concerned with maintaining their privilege and unwarranted advantage.
I highly recommend this to anyone who cares about making the world a better place, who want to work toward correcting the centuries of racial discrimination and terrorism, and who want more facts and better ideas to support their arguments and start change rolling.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
February 8, 2022
I'm tempted to add a fourth star for the suggested policy changes towards the end of the book. For the fact that they mostly aren't race-specific even if underprivileged Black (and other minorities) would disproportionately benefit from them. I think this is the way forward. It's a way to evening the playing field, but one that minimizes the risk of creating future imbalances of opportunity and resources similar to those that landed us where we are today.
"A Peculiar Indifference" goes back to the writings of W.E.B. DuBois (the phrase itself references W.E.B. DuBois) and lands in the contemporary U.S.A. by way of Kenneth Cark and Gunnar Myrdal. Currie adds to their writings with a slew of statistics to establish the particularly vulnerability to societal wrongs Black Americans face today. He also argues out that the peculiar indifferences DuBois noted more than 100 years ago - namely that of White indifference towards Black Americans' struggles - to varying degrees still exists today (even if it has become less tenable of late) and it's hurting everyone.
I don't really think anyone can argue otherwise. In fact, I think it's a pretty normal part of being human. We tend more and more towards indifference the farther away from "us" we get. And the fewer we count in our own "us," the worse it tends to go for us all as a collective.
That's one of the reasons I was glad to read that Currie's suggested solutions to that which ails particularly - but far from exclusively - Blacks in the U.S. (such as a punitive approach towards injustices; favoring incarceration and retribution over value-adding policies like health care, education, and work programs) mostly aren't race-specific. Thus they don't risk adding as much to a divisive environment.
Although I would argue that Currie has cherry-picked (or rather cherry-avoided) his data a bit; and although, at times, his conclusions are a little iffy to me; I think the world would be a better place if most of his remedies were considered. Things like a commitment to full employment for all, the rebuilding of the public sector as necessary social investments, and a general rethinking of the criminal justice system that would move from a reactive and punitive approach to a harm reduction and peace-building approach.
This is not an easy book to read. It feels more like a truly academic book - heavy on statistics - than a popular non-fiction work. And I do think that this is an issue. Not only does it put a lot of responsibility on the reader to check facts and figures, but it makes the statistics even more inaccessible due to sheer volume - not to mention hides the cherry-picking a bit.
Regardless, I think it's a book well worth reading. Without pitting people against each other, Currie makes a good argument for empathy and humanity despite all the depressing data.
P.S. While I recognize the importance of Myrdal's work in the U.S. - and how it distinguishes itself from a lot of American scholarship at the time - it's an ironic twist that he was one of the prime drivers for eugenic policies in Sweden. If that isn't indicative of how much easier it can sometimes be to see things more clearly from afar...
"A Peculiar Indifference" goes back to the writings of W.E.B. DuBois (the phrase itself references W.E.B. DuBois) and lands in the contemporary U.S.A. by way of Kenneth Cark and Gunnar Myrdal. Currie adds to their writings with a slew of statistics to establish the particularly vulnerability to societal wrongs Black Americans face today. He also argues out that the peculiar indifferences DuBois noted more than 100 years ago - namely that of White indifference towards Black Americans' struggles - to varying degrees still exists today (even if it has become less tenable of late) and it's hurting everyone.
I don't really think anyone can argue otherwise. In fact, I think it's a pretty normal part of being human. We tend more and more towards indifference the farther away from "us" we get. And the fewer we count in our own "us," the worse it tends to go for us all as a collective.
That's one of the reasons I was glad to read that Currie's suggested solutions to that which ails particularly - but far from exclusively - Blacks in the U.S. (such as a punitive approach towards injustices; favoring incarceration and retribution over value-adding policies like health care, education, and work programs) mostly aren't race-specific. Thus they don't risk adding as much to a divisive environment.
Although I would argue that Currie has cherry-picked (or rather cherry-avoided) his data a bit; and although, at times, his conclusions are a little iffy to me; I think the world would be a better place if most of his remedies were considered. Things like a commitment to full employment for all, the rebuilding of the public sector as necessary social investments, and a general rethinking of the criminal justice system that would move from a reactive and punitive approach to a harm reduction and peace-building approach.
This is not an easy book to read. It feels more like a truly academic book - heavy on statistics - than a popular non-fiction work. And I do think that this is an issue. Not only does it put a lot of responsibility on the reader to check facts and figures, but it makes the statistics even more inaccessible due to sheer volume - not to mention hides the cherry-picking a bit.
Regardless, I think it's a book well worth reading. Without pitting people against each other, Currie makes a good argument for empathy and humanity despite all the depressing data.
P.S. While I recognize the importance of Myrdal's work in the U.S. - and how it distinguishes itself from a lot of American scholarship at the time - it's an ironic twist that he was one of the prime drivers for eugenic policies in Sweden. If that isn't indicative of how much easier it can sometimes be to see things more clearly from afar...
May 19, 2022
3.8✨
A Peculiar Indifference focuses on the criminalization of Black youth and the impacts it has on their livelihood — everything from schooling to life expectancy. Curries claims early on this isn't a textbook but I felt pretty duped by the end. Despite weaving together some interviews, studies, and commonly known stereotypes of Black America it still felt laden with stats. I was listening to the audiobook and often found myself losing focus on the strings of numbers and information rattled off at me.
With that aside, this is a very interesting look at an often misunderstood or wholly overlooked aspect of Black America. This would make a great reference, as it is a solid source of information on how racism continues to erode the lives of Black people in America and will continue to do so without some significant change to social policy (which lol, like that's going to happen).
Anyway, I definitely think this is a read worth checking out. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the subject matter or what to hear the solutions that Curries last out in his final chapter.
—
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A Peculiar Indifference focuses on the criminalization of Black youth and the impacts it has on their livelihood — everything from schooling to life expectancy. Curries claims early on this isn't a textbook but I felt pretty duped by the end. Despite weaving together some interviews, studies, and commonly known stereotypes of Black America it still felt laden with stats. I was listening to the audiobook and often found myself losing focus on the strings of numbers and information rattled off at me.
With that aside, this is a very interesting look at an often misunderstood or wholly overlooked aspect of Black America. This would make a great reference, as it is a solid source of information on how racism continues to erode the lives of Black people in America and will continue to do so without some significant change to social policy (which lol, like that's going to happen).
Anyway, I definitely think this is a read worth checking out. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the subject matter or what to hear the solutions that Curries last out in his final chapter.
—
✍🏽 Add me as a friend or follow my Goodreads for more reviews like this!
📚 Follow me on IG: @whataprilreads
🐝 Keep tabs on me here, so you know when I start a new project! https://linktr.ee/whataprilreads
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January 2, 2021Loaded with research findings but written in an accessible, powerful style that drives home the key messages about why Black Americans suffer disproportionately from violence -- and the many ways in which the rest of us ignore or make excuses for their plight.
September 8, 2020
In A Peculiar Indifference Elliott Currie provides us with a detailed overview of violent crime in the US, and how it disproportionately affects Black people and communities. This study analyzes the toll that violence has taken and continues to take on Black men, women, and children, compares it to how violence affects white people in the US, and provides the reader with detailed information on how racism, segregation, and white supremacist laws over time have caused genertional trauma and disparities that only long-overdue social action can change.
This isn’t a book that you can rip through - especially the first half. It is very heavy on statistics and can feel a little dry at times, but it is important to really understand these statistics and compare them to others listed. The US, for all its wealth and stature, is one of the most violent countries in the world, and also one of the countries with the most racial disparities, even today in what people seem to call the “post-racial era”.
I think the most important part of A Peculiar Indifference is where the author provides ample information on understanding the roots of violence in African American communities. “Black on Black” violence is such an overused and hollow argument from those intent on maintaining the status quo, but in order to be able to counter that argument, it is important to understand why certain communities are more plagued by violence than others. Elliott Currie takes the history of systematic oppression, segregation, violence, and trauma, committed against Black Americans, and shows how the racial disparities and racism over time have led to what we see today.
I also really appreciated the solutions that the author provides in the latter part of the book: we are not going to change police violence against Black people without changing the system. We are not going to change mass incarceration of Black people without changing the system. We are not going to change racial disparities in all areas without overhauling the system and giving every single person the same advantages.
If you are interested in learning more about violence in the US, and the real racial disparities that exist, and how harmful they are, I recommend reading this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This isn’t a book that you can rip through - especially the first half. It is very heavy on statistics and can feel a little dry at times, but it is important to really understand these statistics and compare them to others listed. The US, for all its wealth and stature, is one of the most violent countries in the world, and also one of the countries with the most racial disparities, even today in what people seem to call the “post-racial era”.
I think the most important part of A Peculiar Indifference is where the author provides ample information on understanding the roots of violence in African American communities. “Black on Black” violence is such an overused and hollow argument from those intent on maintaining the status quo, but in order to be able to counter that argument, it is important to understand why certain communities are more plagued by violence than others. Elliott Currie takes the history of systematic oppression, segregation, violence, and trauma, committed against Black Americans, and shows how the racial disparities and racism over time have led to what we see today.
I also really appreciated the solutions that the author provides in the latter part of the book: we are not going to change police violence against Black people without changing the system. We are not going to change mass incarceration of Black people without changing the system. We are not going to change racial disparities in all areas without overhauling the system and giving every single person the same advantages.
If you are interested in learning more about violence in the US, and the real racial disparities that exist, and how harmful they are, I recommend reading this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2020
This is a great book to read with everything that is going on in society today. It focuses on the deaths of blacks in society today. The murder of George Floyd has definitely placed focus on the illegal and racial killings of blacks by police officers and the way blacks are penalized because of the color of their skins. This book is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the true meaning of the BLM movement.
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November 12, 2020This person is creating problems not fixing them. I constantly hear him blaming outside sources for violence. If you can’t take responsibility for your own violence then you have serious issues. This is such a trend, but it helps no one. Someone gives you an outlet to blame others and you take it full knowing your own contributions are being masked. No one with the mentality of “it’s not my fault I’m violent, it’s yours.” is ever going to be a safe person. They will continue to create violence but on an even larger scale. Parents that don’t assure their children take responsibility for their own actions may protect the image of their children, but the results are disastrous. So many people “make it through” or make it past condemnation and then see no reason to fix what is actually causing them to be this way, and can only look to outside sources, and others who buy into this system only help them cover it up. This is literary fools gold, and this is what the education system produces and then employs.
September 27, 2020
Will you gain additional insight? Yes. Will you be depressed? Yes. This book is a fantastic companion piece to the new Jim Crow. Call me a social justice warrior if you must, but the amount of wealth that exists in this country coupled with our inability to recognize that the codified caste system and increasing wealth inequality is leading us to the precipice of widespread violence in this is nothing short of malfeasance and skulduggery. I’m sick of being surrounded by C minus high school graduates who haven’t left their own state cheer leading our country like it is the greatest in the world, when in fact the US seems to be the only developed nation that can’t at least take steps to help its most vulnerable and at risk populations. This book compares us to Turkey my dudes. Let that sink in. Is this what making America great again looks like? Our combined wealth in proportion to the level of austerity that we demonstrate makes my blood boil.
Sigh.
Sigh.
November 11, 2020
I am very disappointed in this book in that it never brought up the benefit of a nuclear family as a major solution to the poverty/violence issue. The statistics are overwhelming in pointing out that a child raised by two parents has a massive leg up on leading a successful life and yet that is never discussed as a solution to the inner city problems. Yes guaranteed jobs and a decrease of the prison population would benefit the situation but so would a traditional family and the Federal Government could incentivize that into their policy just as easily as the other solutions
July 14, 2020
This is a terrific place to start when diving into the conversation about violence and police brutality against Black people. It seems to me to essentially be a review of the literature, except for laypeople. I appreciated the breadth of information Currie covers and think this is a good addition to the antiracist canon.
*I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
December 20, 2021
A decent, not great, book. The book proceeds to enumerate the statistics relating to victimization disparities among different races. Following that, it describes the beyond surface level impact of that disparities. The next chapters focus on causes, split between initial sociological efforts (DuBois and Dollard, principally, with some references to Kenneth Clark and Gunnar Myrdal) and later research. The last chapter focuses on potential remedies.
Missing from the book is serious consideration of what I would think would be relevant scholarship, such as James Q Wilson, Franklin Zimring, Patrick Sharkey, Aaron Chalfin, or discussion of William Julius Wilson (though the themes are similar). No mention of William Stuntz either.
The cause chapters are interesting from a history of sociology perspective. The relationship between inequality and violent crime is well established, but the author does obscure how much of the variation in violent crime is explained by changes in inequality. Moreover, the supposed theoretical channels identified by the author would seem to indicate a more lagged relationship. I haven’t seen any study that established this relationship introduce a variable related to the age profile of a population area. Given what’s known about the age profile of violent offenders and the relationship between demographic structure and inequality, this seems to be a potentially confounding variable that obscures relationship between inequality and crime.
Moreover, the author is silent on the salience between changes in desired policy and the social dislocations identified in chapter 1. Theorizing about the future will do nothing for the real people victimized today, root cause jeremiads notwithstanding.
The last chapter is a far left economic policy wish list with a loose tie-in to the preceding chapters. Little intellectual humility is shown in this chapter, unlike, say, the work of William Julius Wilson who would likely endorse similar programmatic efforts.
Much of the statistics would be more helpfully presented if provided in tabular or graph format over time.
Missing from the book is serious consideration of what I would think would be relevant scholarship, such as James Q Wilson, Franklin Zimring, Patrick Sharkey, Aaron Chalfin, or discussion of William Julius Wilson (though the themes are similar). No mention of William Stuntz either.
The cause chapters are interesting from a history of sociology perspective. The relationship between inequality and violent crime is well established, but the author does obscure how much of the variation in violent crime is explained by changes in inequality. Moreover, the supposed theoretical channels identified by the author would seem to indicate a more lagged relationship. I haven’t seen any study that established this relationship introduce a variable related to the age profile of a population area. Given what’s known about the age profile of violent offenders and the relationship between demographic structure and inequality, this seems to be a potentially confounding variable that obscures relationship between inequality and crime.
Moreover, the author is silent on the salience between changes in desired policy and the social dislocations identified in chapter 1. Theorizing about the future will do nothing for the real people victimized today, root cause jeremiads notwithstanding.
The last chapter is a far left economic policy wish list with a loose tie-in to the preceding chapters. Little intellectual humility is shown in this chapter, unlike, say, the work of William Julius Wilson who would likely endorse similar programmatic efforts.
Much of the statistics would be more helpfully presented if provided in tabular or graph format over time.
February 12, 2021
Thank you to netgalley.com for providing me with a free copy of “A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America” in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a chronicle of violence in the Black community—what violence is happening, how it affects Black people, where this violence originated, and what has been proposed to solve it. The book is full of data—it is a remarkable review of the literature. Many of the things detailed on this book, I knew in an abstract sense, but some of the specific statistics provided were just staggering. Additionally, the data was presented in a highly readable format.
I think this is an important book for dissecting the myths about where violence comes from. I also appreciated Currie’s use of a variety of types of data, and for highlighting key critiques of studies about crime (i.e., they often exclude the most vulnerable of people). However, I wish he had not used “third-world country” terminology. Further, I did not think there was really anything “new” to this book—again, it seemed much more like a review of the literature.
Mostly where I think this book falls short is in its solutions. While I definitely support the equalizing policies described, as Currie points out himself, they are supposedly “race neutral.” However, what we know from race neutral policies is that they’re rarely applied in a race neutral manner. I think it is somewhat wishful thinking to imagine Currie’s proposed solutions as equalizers, although he does briefly mention he also thinks some form of reparations to Black people are also warranted. However, he devotes very little time to these race-specific solutions that are likely needed to guarantee Black people violence-free communities and lives.
This book is a chronicle of violence in the Black community—what violence is happening, how it affects Black people, where this violence originated, and what has been proposed to solve it. The book is full of data—it is a remarkable review of the literature. Many of the things detailed on this book, I knew in an abstract sense, but some of the specific statistics provided were just staggering. Additionally, the data was presented in a highly readable format.
I think this is an important book for dissecting the myths about where violence comes from. I also appreciated Currie’s use of a variety of types of data, and for highlighting key critiques of studies about crime (i.e., they often exclude the most vulnerable of people). However, I wish he had not used “third-world country” terminology. Further, I did not think there was really anything “new” to this book—again, it seemed much more like a review of the literature.
Mostly where I think this book falls short is in its solutions. While I definitely support the equalizing policies described, as Currie points out himself, they are supposedly “race neutral.” However, what we know from race neutral policies is that they’re rarely applied in a race neutral manner. I think it is somewhat wishful thinking to imagine Currie’s proposed solutions as equalizers, although he does briefly mention he also thinks some form of reparations to Black people are also warranted. However, he devotes very little time to these race-specific solutions that are likely needed to guarantee Black people violence-free communities and lives.
September 10, 2020
Reading this book so closely after reading Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, I am finding myself starting to recognize studies that have been done, books referenced consistently (such as the source of the title from W.E.B. DuBois), and themes. Not just the overreaching and simplified statement that racism in America is systemic but specific parts that have been used not only to fuel racism but to oppress Blacks and shift the blame on them. While readers may find some commonalities with the ideas promoted in Caste, Mr. Currie takes the information and focuses in on violence in the Black community and adds to it comparisons to other communities in a very stark and depressing illustration of what racism has done to young Black males. No, they are not alone in the consequences, but when you start looking at the numbers, the odds are worse than Vegas to make it to old age. This shouldn't be happening! And, Mr. Currie provides proof that it doesn't need to keep happening. The last part of the book includes examples of programs and policies that have decreased violence and increased employment opportunities and offers suggestions on how to expand them. These changes would benefit not only the Black community, but all people in our society in some manner.
Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
November 12, 2020
A very thoughtful analysis of the pernicious problem of "racial differences in the persistence of poverty over time" Some of the statistics are horrifying: in Chicago, for example, 31 percent of the population is African-American, yet African-Americans account for 80 percent of Chicago's victims of homicide. Currie notes that between 2000 and 2018, more than 162,000 black Americans lost their lives to violence with a resulting average annual homicide death rate for the African-American population was 20 per 100,000 (seven times that of white Americans). I found Currie's deep dive into the sociological work of WEB DuBois in Philadelphia enlightening. The suspicion and resentment tied to black Americans' view of the the courts and justice system as "instruments of injustice and oppression" exacerbate the problem of neighborhood violence in a number of urban settings. Currie in no way excuses the convenient pathology of black violence so popular with conservative pundits. He aims instead to dissect the conditions of life in some black communities. Segregation, for example,is predictive of a neighborhood's level of violence. Currie also examines the "crime spillover" phenomenon that is tied to the "spatial precariousness" of first ring suburbs (the product of selective economic investment/disinvestment). A fascinating and provocative book.
September 19, 2020
A Peculiar Indifference by Elliott Currie
A Peculiar Indifference by Elliott Currie is a poignant analysis of the harsh realities of the violence that plagues African American deaths in America. This study emphasizes the injustices that run rampage in our society of African Americans. The callousness of this travesty is mindblowing but expected in this climate of racism and white supremacy. In light of just the past two decades of police killings of black men and women, Mr. Currie's study emphasis through the uses of data how heartless a country that professes liberty and justice for all is an empty statement.
A Peculiar Indifference is an eye-opening read for college students and professionals in social work, Criminal justice, and psychology who wish to analyze/ study the impacts racism and murders of black Americans. Mr. Elliott did a masterful job of pointing out the injustices so prominent in our communities.
I highly recommend this book.
This book was provide by Netgalley for an honest opinion.
A Peculiar Indifference by Elliott Currie is a poignant analysis of the harsh realities of the violence that plagues African American deaths in America. This study emphasizes the injustices that run rampage in our society of African Americans. The callousness of this travesty is mindblowing but expected in this climate of racism and white supremacy. In light of just the past two decades of police killings of black men and women, Mr. Currie's study emphasis through the uses of data how heartless a country that professes liberty and justice for all is an empty statement.
A Peculiar Indifference is an eye-opening read for college students and professionals in social work, Criminal justice, and psychology who wish to analyze/ study the impacts racism and murders of black Americans. Mr. Elliott did a masterful job of pointing out the injustices so prominent in our communities.
I highly recommend this book.
This book was provide by Netgalley for an honest opinion.
March 20, 2021
I thought the author did a great job of marshaling statistics and data to illustrate the huge gap between violence in black communities and in other parts of the US. He then uses that data to try and understand some of the causes of that gap. Finally, he provides suggestions for how to make impactful change. His remedies are heavy on government intervention so probably not for everyone. I learned a lot. I thought his explanation of the difference between caste and class was the best I have seen, and he covers a lot of ground on early social science studies of black communities by Du Bois, Dollard, Myrdal and others, none of which I was familiar with. His reporting on studies showing that poverty alone doesn’t explain levels of violence but that race is a key factor were enlightening if depressing, and it was good how he showed that while making clear that was in no way the fault of the black communities that suffered from it but was due to racism.
February 16, 2021
The analysis and discussion in this treatise are extensive. It was somewhat too academic for me, giving discussions of various studies and texts. I did appreciate the discussion of W.E.B. Debois’ work from over a century ago, having read his book The Souls of Black Folk recently. The concluding chapter was of particular interest; author Currie pulled the various studies and discussions together providing his list of measures for American society to reduce violence and its effect.
It is shocking how many Black people die due to violence in America. I knew numbers are high, but the statistics shared in this book are staggering. This book gives evidence that Black lives have not mattered to white people. Thus demonstrating the need for the Black Lives Matter movement.
I listened to this as an audiobook, but would recommend reading the book rather than listening if possible.
It is shocking how many Black people die due to violence in America. I knew numbers are high, but the statistics shared in this book are staggering. This book gives evidence that Black lives have not mattered to white people. Thus demonstrating the need for the Black Lives Matter movement.
I listened to this as an audiobook, but would recommend reading the book rather than listening if possible.
Read
July 23, 2022I picked up this book because I am doing violence research now at work and wanted to get an idea of the mainstream literature. It is an extremely standard mainstream sociology book. It truly is just a summary of literature from descriptive epidemiology, causes, and solutions.
He loves DuBois like every good social scientist does these days, and everyone can find their favorite DuBois because his intellectual development changed throughout his life so radically. To make a long critique short, Currie and I like different eras of DuBois.
His solution is a full employment program that especially relies on public sector jobs. I think that would be great, but he fails to understand the underlying factors in capitalism that prevents that from happening.
I'd love to see a book like this that is willing to critique capitalism as a system, so let me know if you know of one.
He loves DuBois like every good social scientist does these days, and everyone can find their favorite DuBois because his intellectual development changed throughout his life so radically. To make a long critique short, Currie and I like different eras of DuBois.
His solution is a full employment program that especially relies on public sector jobs. I think that would be great, but he fails to understand the underlying factors in capitalism that prevents that from happening.
I'd love to see a book like this that is willing to critique capitalism as a system, so let me know if you know of one.
September 16, 2022
This book is a study of the problem of violence in poverty areas, focusing on Black communities. The book describes the roots of the formation of ghettos and how they are perpetuated. Slavery and the consequent racial discrimination is the foundation of this problem. Poor education, medical care and job prospects all lead to frustration and aggression. As the Blacks cannot strike out at the people and systemic racism, the alternative is to strike out at the community they live in. This aggression can be domestic or against others. The mistrust of government and the judicial system adds to this alienation.
Society and government have not only not helped alleviate these conditions, but have perpetuated the problems and reinforced them.
This is a very thought provoking book, not only tracing the history of the problems but also offering thoughts on how to fix the situation.
Society and government have not only not helped alleviate these conditions, but have perpetuated the problems and reinforced them.
This is a very thought provoking book, not only tracing the history of the problems but also offering thoughts on how to fix the situation.
November 13, 2020
This book, a forceful and convincing argument about the roots and impacts of violence on Black urban American, was earning five stars until I read the final chapter, "Remedies." Currie drops the ball when he gets to the consideration of solutions. First, he has one vague idea, a jobs plan. Two, he repeats himself again and again. Three, he offers a couple unconvincing arguments about gun control that don't go nearly far enough. I'm surprised and disappointed that he didn't use the final chapter to look closely at how other advanced industrial countries have treated social services for the poor, especially in terms of job creation and public infrastructure. He seemed to just lose energy at the last moment.
November 28, 2020
The subject could not be more relevant and the information could not have been more clearly presented.
It took me longer than usual to finish a rather short book. Because statistics were a necessary and large part of the book, I sometimes found my attention wandering.
I am not saying I found it a boring read. On the contrary, it was fascinating and often shocking. We boast that we are the greatest country in the world. Well, there are ample societal categories in which we find ourselves ranked shamefully close to the bottom.
In the last chapter the author offers realistic suggestions as to how public policy could begin to eradicate the huge disparities between the violence experienced by Blacks and whites.
Doable if we have the will.
It took me longer than usual to finish a rather short book. Because statistics were a necessary and large part of the book, I sometimes found my attention wandering.
I am not saying I found it a boring read. On the contrary, it was fascinating and often shocking. We boast that we are the greatest country in the world. Well, there are ample societal categories in which we find ourselves ranked shamefully close to the bottom.
In the last chapter the author offers realistic suggestions as to how public policy could begin to eradicate the huge disparities between the violence experienced by Blacks and whites.
Doable if we have the will.
September 25, 2020
Thank you to Metropolitan Books and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!
Now available.
Akin to other books like "Why do all the Black Children Sit Together" or "Savage Inequalities", Elliott Currie's "A Peculiar Indifference" explores the racist history of violence in America. In particular, the book focuses on the early criminalization of Black youth and the later effects this has on their schooling, livelihood and life expectancy. Currie weaves together interviews, landmark studies and common cultural stereotypes. It is an important and timely read.
Now available.
Akin to other books like "Why do all the Black Children Sit Together" or "Savage Inequalities", Elliott Currie's "A Peculiar Indifference" explores the racist history of violence in America. In particular, the book focuses on the early criminalization of Black youth and the later effects this has on their schooling, livelihood and life expectancy. Currie weaves together interviews, landmark studies and common cultural stereotypes. It is an important and timely read.
December 6, 2020
The work does present some interesting ways to weigh the data about violence that particularly seems to impact minority communities. The one particular insight I came away with was that the author at least gives a nod to correction having to be based in the minority community itself. The down side seems to be the belief that this can be imposed from outside. But you might find more redeeming elements for particular purposes. I suspect that the anti-2nd Amendment crowd will find an avenue for their use, for example.
October 26, 2020
Pulitzer Prize finalist Elliott Currie's scrupulous investigation of the impacts of violence on Black Americans shows the damaging effect of widespread suffering and identifies an achievable solution...
My full review is at PopMatters.
My full review is at PopMatters.
January 6, 2021
Early on, this author claims his book is not a textbook. Could've fooled me. A mind-numbing amount of statistics interspersed with interesting details and references to icons like W.E.B. DuBois. This book is probably a great reference if you're making policy. But in the end it's one more (very solid) source of information that points out just how terribly Black Americans have been and continue to be treated in this country. Good, not great.
April 19, 2021
a lit review of the nations utter lack of care for black lives and black deaths. Examines the topic of violence from a historical perspective which illuminates the structural/practical forces that got us to this point. He also provides compelling solutions for curbing the nations violence that are not this simple "take away the guns". This is thoughtful, well researched and comprehensive. At times it reads like an academic article.
February 23, 2023
A deep delve into the violence of Black America using historical facts, statistical gathering, and first hand interviews of how lethal violence is often overlooked as something that just happens in "those neighborhoods." The author challenges the status quo to take a hard, and honest look at what has driven, and continues to drive the inequality of education, public health, and criminal justice reforms in this look at the imbalance of the social contract of America.
December 5, 2020
I’m glad I read this book. Using the words and ideas of W.E.B. Dubois the author sketches out the reality of violence in America and specifically in Black America. At the end he offers remedies - which are thoughtful, if not realistic. This is a book for laypeople with a lot of research. It’s good. It’s helpful on understanding a larger picture to the sometimes small debates we have.
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