Ghettoside

Although the book is contemporary and “of the moment,” Leovy does not explicitly discuss contemporary movements related to law enforcement and the black community. In what ways, if any, does she implicitly discuss these movements? What would a Leovian analysis of one such movement look like?

Leovy’s central claim is that swift, reactive policing is the most effective way of eradicating violence. How well does she support this claim? Do you agree? Why or why not?

One counterargument to reactive policing is that it, by necessity, requires victims, whereas the goal of proactive policing, of preventing crime before it happens, implicitly reduces the number of victims. However, the picture is more complex: reactive policing, the argument goes, reduces victims more effectively in the long term, while proactive policing potentially creates a different kind of victim, while being ineffective in the long term. Write an essay in which you compare and contrast these philosophies.

An implicit argument that runs through the text is that traditional methods may be superior to more high-tech, modern methods of policing. For example, the NIMIB system, at the time of Bryant’s murder, had never successfully matched a bullet to a murder weapon. However, technology develops rapidly, and the book provides an incomplete picture. Is Leovy arguing against high-tech policing? To what extent is the argument effective? To what extent does it remain true, if it ever did?

The book is ostensibly about the murder of Bryant Tennelle and the ensuing investigation, but Leovy takes a number of detours into other homicides. What is the purpose of these detours? To what extent do these detours aid in her larger claim, if at all?

Write an essay in which you explore the semiotic elements of the text—e.g., the symbolism inherent in clothing, style, language, etc. It may be helpful to focus on one such element—e.g., clothing—and trace what the text has to say about the different ways in which clothing makes meaning in our society.

Leovy makes more universal points about violence and crime in modern society, particularly among the black community, but her book is nevertheless focused on South Central Los Angeles. To what extent can her claims be applied to other communities and regions?

Leovy’s claims are rooted in historical arguments, both within the United States and outside of it. Choose one such claim (e.g., the history of communal justice in lawless societies) and explore that claim through history. To what extent do her arguments hold up? In what ways might the past have been more nuanced or complex?