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The Art and Science of Criminal Investigation

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Home Robinson Review

Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge

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Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge

by Ric Robinson

Review by Daryl W. Clemens

Chapters:
  1. Racial Profiling- The Color Of A Criminal
  2. Homeland Insecurity- The Price Of Freedom
  3. Passenger Planes Are Safe And Clinton Didn't Spit In Her Mouth
  4. Criminals Are Best When Cooked Well Along With Their Attorneys
  5. Dirty Harry Was Right: Nothing Wrong With Shooting As Long As The Right People Get Shot
  6. Cincinnati's Race Riots- A City Held Hostage
  7. Don't Blame Cops for Inner City Turmoil- It's The Mayor's Fault
  8. Ask A Crack Baby About Legalizing Drugs Then Tell Me It's Not Violent
  9. Why Did She Have Two Black Eyes? 'Cause She Didn't Get It The First Time
  10. Lessons Of Columbine Five Thousand School Bomb Threats Later
  11. High Speed Pursuit- A Real Killer
  12. The U.S. Supremes Suck! Well, Not All Of Them

I found that I enjoyed the book, even if I don't necessarily agree with all of it.

Ric is a former State Trooper, and radio talk show host. In fact the book reads very much like it was taken directly from talk show segments. (I never heard Ric's show, so perhaps it was). If you enjoyed Ric on the radio, you will no doubt like the book.

Ric has a tendency to start talking about a subject, and then drift off into semi/unrelated war stories. The war stories are where you get a glimpse of what life as a cop is really like. Too bad their aren't more of them. The editing in the book could also use a helping hand. I caught a few mis-spelled words, and I wasn't even really looking hard.

The book doesn't deal directly with criminal investigation or forensic science, although in Chapter 4 he talks a little bit about prisoners released due to DNA evidence. He explains, albeit briefly, why this doesn't necessarily mean they were innocent.

The book is really about Ric's views on a variety of social/political subjects. For life as a cop I'd have to recommend "What Cops Know" or "Homicide" over this book. However, if you are interested in the social and political forces that drive policing, then this book is for you.

 

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