The Kidnap Years: The Astonishing True History of the Forgotten Epidemic That Shook Depression-Era America by
A chilling true crime book that chronicles the wave of abductions that terrorized the U.S. during the Great Depression, including the most infamous kidnapping case in American history. The Great Depression was a time of desperation in America-parents struggled to feed their children and unemployment was at a record high. Adding to the lawlessness of the decade, thugs with submachine guns and corrupt law-enforcement officers ran rampant. But amidst this panic, there was one sure-fire way to make money, one used by criminals and resourceful civilians alike- kidnapping. Jump into this forgotten history with Edgar Award-winning author David Stout as he explores the reports of missing people that inundated newspapers at the time. Learn the horrifying details of these abduction cases, from the methods used and the investigative processes to the personal histories of the culprits and victims. All of this culminates with the most infamous kidnapping in American history, the one that targeted an international celebrity and changed legislation forever- the Lindbergh kidnapping. The Kidnap Years is a gritty, visceral, thoughtfully reported page-turner that chronicles the sweep of abductions that afflicted all corners of the country as desperate people were pushed to do the unthinkable.
Spilt Milk by
What role does a mother play in raising thoughtful, generous children? In her literary debut, internationally award-winning writer Courtney Zoffness considers what we inherit from generations past--biologically, culturally, spiritually--and what we pass on to our children. Spilt Milk is an intimate, bracing, and beautiful exploration of vulnerability and culpability. Zoffness relives her childhood anxiety disorder as she witnesses it manifest in her firstborn; endures brazen sexual advances by a student in her class; grapples with the implications of her young son's cop obsession; and challenges her Jewish faith. Where is the line between privacy and secrecy? How do the stories we tell inform who we become? These powerful, dynamic essays herald a vital new voice.
Excessive Use of Force : One Mother’s Struggle Against Police Brutality and Misconduct by
The vast majority of the law enforcement officers in this country perform their very difficult jobs with respect for their communities and in compliance with the law. Even so, there have been incidents in which this was not the case. Police brutality and misconduct has been under the microscope for the last several years, and Loretta Prater brings these issues to light through research reports and numerous examples of cases, including the personal case of her son. On January 2, 2004, Leslie Vaughn Prater, Loretta Prater's unarmed son, was a homicide victim in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His death resulted from an altercation with four police officers. Excessive Use of Force: One Mother's Struggle Against Police Brutality and Misconduct is the account of an African American family's personal experience with police brutality and misconduct, the behind the scene dynamics, as well as the personal emotional trauma experienced by victims' families. While written from the perspective of a mother, Prater brings a good balance of personal and outside information. She allows the reader to see inside her story but successfully includes secondary analysis of research and related stories of others who have experienced similar situations resulting from police officer misconduct. Excessive Use of Force engages the reader in this serious and important topic of police brutality and misconduct.
Instinct Combat Shooting: Defensive Handgunning for Police, Fourth Edition by
Written by a pioneering author of the concept, Instinct Combat Shooting: Defensive Hand gunning for Police, now in its fourth edition, is not about winning target shooting competitions, but purports surviving real-life firefights by examining testimonies of shootout survivors and carefully analyzing firefights that prove shooting instinctively is not only crucially fast, but also equally accurate. The book defines instinctive combat shooting as: "The act of operating a handgun by focusing on the target, as opposed to the sights, and instinctively coordinating the hand and mind to cause the handgun to discharge at a time and point that ensures interception of the projectile with the target."
Police Use of Force: Important Issues Facing the Police and the Communities They Serve by
Police use of force has been a major concern for police departments and citizens in the United States since the 1840s, when police first started carrying guns. Starting with a historical introduction, Police Use of Force presents readers with critical and timely issues facing police and the communities they serve when police encounters turn violent.
TASERs and Arrest-Related Deaths by
Williams examines TASER use and high-risk group theory, which posits that people with certain physiological attributes, such as heart disease, mental illness, or drug use, are at increased risk of sudden death following application of a TASER electronic control device (ECD).
Into the Kill Zone: A cop's eye view of deadly force by
This book tells how novice officers are trained to think about and use the power they have over life and death, explains how cops live with the awesome responsibility that comes from the barrels of their guns, reports how officers often hold their fire when they clearly could have shot, presents hair-raising accounts of what it's like to be involved in shoot-outs, and details how shooting someone affects officers who pull the trigger.
