The NPR Politics Podcast

How To Make The Public Safer? It's A Lot Harder Than Just Hiring More Police

Jun 20, 2022

Alex Vitale, a sociologist at Brooklyn College and author of "The End of Policing," argues for a rethinking of public safety that goes beyond hiring more police. He critiques the reliance on increased security measures in schools, advocating for community-based solutions and mental health resources instead. Vitale introduces innovative strategies like Cure Violence, emphasizing the need for addressing root causes of violence. His insights challenge the traditional views on policing and highlight the importance of uplifting communities to create safer spaces.

32:19

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Episode guests

Alex Vitale

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Episode notes

Intro

4min

Reassessing School Safety: Beyond Policing

12min

Innovative Approaches to Community Violence Reduction

3min

Reimagining Public Safety: Beyond Policing

10min

Poetic Reflection on National Identity and Violence

2min

Engagement and Advertising Opportunities

2min

A special episode from our friends at Code Switch:

In the wake of violence and tragedies, people are often left in search of ways to feel safe again. That almost inevitably to conversations about the role of police. On today's episode, we're talking to the author and sociologist Alex Vitale, who argues that many spaces in U.S. society over-rely on the police to prevent problems that are better addressed through other means. Doing so, he says, can prevent us from properly investing in resources and programs that could make the country safer in the long run.

Subscribe: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch

This episode was fact-checked by Alyssa Jeong Perry and Christina Cala. Summer Thomad, Alyssa Jeong Perry, Diba Mohtasham and Christina Cala contributed to the production.

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