The judicial response to police killings in Latin America : inequality and the rule of law /

Brinks (Univ. of Texas, Austin) has written a revealing expose of police executions of "undesirables" associated with criminal activity in the formally democratic countries of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. The author's effective use of data, in-depth interviews, and rigorous statistical analysis show a strong relationship between public fear of violent crime and acceptance of police executions--especially of underclass, often nonwhite, males. The extremes are El Salvador and Brazil, where police kill often with impunity, and Uruguay, where police executions are few and offenders are prosecuted. Prosecutors and judges are normally reluctant to challenge suspect police--judges are dependent on a cooperative police force and jeopardize promotions by challenging police officers--but may be willing to do so if the victim's family has sufficient resources to retain legal counsel and there is public pressure for action. Outlaw police are also protected by family, witnesses fear of police retaliation, and anti-whistle-blower laws that silence colleagues who might otherwise be willing to expose them. This book has broader relevance in showing the vulnerability of civil rights during times of public fear and insecurity. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. S. L. Rozman Tougaloo College