Democracy and the Police

Reviews / Votes

"David Sklansky is one of the nation's leading criminal justice scholars, and his new book offers a major contribution to the study of law enforcement and American self-governance. Professor Sklansky's analysis of democratic policing is lucid and stimulating, providing a new vision that could help shape the public policy agenda of the twenty-first century. Democracy and the Police is a must-read for anyone interested in the perennial question: Who will watch the watchman?" - Erik Luna, S.J. Quinney College of Law (University of Utah) "The proper balance between freedom and security is an enduring struggle for any democracy. In this timely new book, Professor David Sklansky adds an original and insightful dimension to this continuing conversation. By embracing the nuanced questions his subject raises, Professor Sklansky aids politicians and scholars alike in their ongoing endeavor to make the police truly democratic." - Harvard Law Review "Drawing on a rich background of democratic theory and criminal justice research, Sklansky skillfully probes the connections between democratic practices like popular participation and the police's charge to maintain societal order. In a post-9/11 US, these linkages have become even more salient, making this thought-provoking analysis particularly relevant." (CHOICE) "Professor Sklansky provides a carefully argued account of what "democratic policing" means, one that avoids overly simplistic explanations of a one-to-one relationship between a particular democratic theory and a policing strategy. Policing, as Democracy and the Police explains, is not only a public service subject to instrumental analysis about crime and clearance rates; it manifests our commitment to democratic values. This is a much welcome addition to the policing literature." - Elizabeth E. Joh, University of California (DavisSchool of Law) "In this timely and thoughtful book, Sklansky displays a masterful command of a remarkable range of disciplines, including political theory, constitutional criminal procedure, and police studies. The book will play an important role in the much needed reassessment of American penality after the denouement of the war on crime in light of established principles of political legitimacy." - Markus D. Dubber (SUNY Buffalo School of Law)