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what we once called slave-patrols-and-plantations and which we now call police-and-prisons There’s been a huge resurgence across Reddit and HN today to resurre
by jimbob45 4y ago
what we once called slave-patrols-and-plantations and which we now call police-and-prisons
There’s been a huge resurgence across Reddit and HN today to resurrect Defund the Police and ACAB but implying police and prisons were invented after 1865 surely takes the cake.
- malcolmgreaves 4y agoI believe the poster is talking more specifically, about the history and development of policing in the United States. > but implying police and prisons were invented after 1865 surely takes the cake I don't think they, nor anyone, is making this assertion. There is a direct lineage from modern day police departments to slave patrols. If it helps to understand it, think about Jim Crow laws of the 19th and 20th centuries. This set of laws criminalized being Black and were enforced by police.
- EngManagerIsMe 4y agoThe first uniformed police force came about in the 1850s. Prior to that, police forces weren't the central utility they are today. Yes, there were guards, but their roles, responsibilities, and behaviors were quite different. I posted a bit of history in a sibling comment, but it's not technically wrong to say that the 1800s was the century in which we got the police forces we have today. (But yes, obviously there were other institutions that predated them.)