Advocates of police reform, including President Biden, say Derek Chauvin’s conviction is a crucial step in ending racist police practices. But abolitionists say it’s too little, too late. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Professor James D. Ward, the author of Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics. Ward explains why he thinks abolishing police can’t work politically, but jailing or even executing killer cops could bring real change. 

Guest: Professor James D. Ward is the author of Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics, and the interim director of the Master of Public Policy program and Visiting Professor at Cal Poly.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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