The problem for discussion is established in a rectilinear way. In the first paragraph, Stoughton et al. indicate that “brutal encounters between the police and the people they are supposed to serve” continue for a long time and “people of every race and class” (par. 1). This way, it becomes apparent that the paper’s core topic is related to the issue of American police. Since the problem is expressed clearly, it could be inferred that the authors were successful in identifying it in the text. Still, it could be suggested that Stoughton et al. could add some statistical data on police abuse to impress the audience from the first lines.
The authors suggest that the US police’s current situation could be fixed in two ways: either through state intervention or through local one. The reformation at the state level seems to be more convincing. This view is based on the belief that the administration could create such laws and regulations that would eradicate the possibility of police abuse all over the country. Besides, the central government could conduct a reform at a time. In contrast, reformation driven by the local governments would mean that in all American states will be different and unequal regulations and laws.
It seems fair to conclude that the proposal regarding the reformation of American police is not that persuasive. The problem is that Stoughton et al. do not suggest any groundbreaking ideas on how to change the current situation. It is evident that “a coordinated effort from federal, state, and local government” is needed (Stoughton et al. par. 26). In addition, the idea of transparency, common culture, specialized training of police officers as well as the creation of specific laws and certificates are nothing new and widely discussed for a long time. It would be better for the authors to indicate a precise strategy on how to implement their recommendations.
Work Cited
Stoughton, Seth W. et al. “How to Actually Fix America’s Police”. The Atlantic, 2020. Web.