This is the perfect book or collection of essays if you are at all abolition-curious. I think many folks know there are problems with policing and incarceration with regard to race and sexual orientation, but few will want to abolish prisons. The main reason for this a lack of understanding what abolition is - not being able to imagine life without prisons/police - who would you call in an emergency. This book can help.

The first half of the book, for those who might need examples of why policing needs abolished, details deaths at the hands of the state that were quite famous and those less so - in traffic stops, false confessions, US torture programs, violence against black, indigenous, women and men and that specific to pregnant women as well.

In the second half, the essays look at specific programs that are implemented alongside police and prisons (i don't think anyone advocates flipping a switch and letting chaos reign) to reduce reliance on systems built to protect capital or property that are inherently violent. Eugene, Oregon has a CAHOOTS program that can be called more or less instead of police to address mental health or drug issues. Some cities are training citizens in basic medical techniques and content people to medical services without involving police. This second half was really informative and would help those people who want reform but wonder how or what's best or what would we have to do to move toward a world without these violent police encounters.