Race, crime, and the law / [electronic resource] Randall Kennedy.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 474-513) and index.

1. The race question in criminal law : changing the politics of the conflict -- 2. History : unequal protection -- 3. History : unequal enforcement -- 4. Race, law, and suspicion : using color as a proxy for dangerousness -- 5. Race and the composition of juries : setting the ground rules -- 6. Race and the composition of juries : the peremptory challenge -- 7. Race and the composition of juries : from antidiscrimination to imposing diversity -- 8. Playing the race card in a criminal trial -- 9. Race, law, and punishment : the death penalty -- 10. Race, law, and punishment : the war on drugs.

The author, a Harvard law professor, discusses the "failure of the justice system to protect blacks from criminals, ... the wisdom and legality of using racial criteria in jury selection, ... the responses of the legal system to accusations that appeals to racial prejudice have rendered trials unfairs, ... and allegations that blacks are victimized on a widespread basis by racially discriminatory prosecutions and punishments."--Jacket.