Crime Fictions: How Racist Lies Built a System of Mass Wrongful Conviction
Language: English
Published by Random House USA Inc, 2026
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Condition: Used - Very good
£ 200.33
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
From award-winning sociologist Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve comes the first account of mass wrongful conviction in America, indicting a system purposefully designed to ensnare Black youth in order to close cases "A must-read reckoning with past and present alike."-Heather Ann Thompson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fear and Fury and Blood in the Water Wrongful convictions have long been dismissed as rare exceptions to an otherwise well-oiled criminal justice machine. But, after years spent investigating the largest criminal courthouse in the nation, Chicago's Cook County, Dr. Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve began to uncover a far more chilling truth. Wrongful convictions are not accidental, nor anomalous: There are at least hundreds of cases indicting innocent Black youth of crimes they didn't commit. Arresting and incarcerating kids is the point-the "evidence" is tailored to fit. In a suspenseful narrative account based on years of interviews, archival research, and the excavation of hidden documents, Gonzalez Van Cleve presents an ironclad "howdunit," illustrating the steps that our supposed system of justice takes to "find" criminals, coerce confessions, and bury evidence. A clear pattern emerges as Lee Hester, a disabled fourteen-year-old boy, is branded a "super predator" and convicted of killing his teacher. At just seven years old, Romarr Gipson is charged with a murder that is physically impossible for him to commit. Groups of boys like the Roscetti Four and Dixmoor Five are characterized as "wolf packs" in a pattern that connects them to the Central Park Five. These "crime fictions" are actively produced, perfected by police, enshrined in our legal records by the courts, and reinforced by the media. Placing the exonerated boys at the center of their own story, Crime Fictions is a devastating, systemic account that leaves us to wonder just how many innocent souls have been claimed by the racist lies police tell.…
Seller Inventory # CIN0593447085VG
- Title
- Crime Fictions: How Racist Lies Built a System of Mass Wrongful Conviction
- Author
- Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve
- Publisher
- Random House USA Inc
- Publication year
- 2026
- Condition
- Very Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0593447085
- ISBN 13
- 9780593447086
“A must-read reckoning with past and present alike.”—Heather Ann Thompson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Fear and Fury and Blood in the Water
Wrongful convictions have long been dismissed as rare exceptions to an otherwise well-oiled criminal justice machine. But, after years spent investigating the largest criminal courthouse in the nation, Chicago’s Cook County, Dr. Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve began to uncover a far more chilling truth. Wrongful convictions are not accidental, nor anomalous: There are at least hundreds of cases indicting innocent Black youth of crimes they didn’t commit. Arresting and incarcerating kids is the point—the “evidence” is tailored to fit.
In a suspenseful narrative account based on years of interviews, archival research, and the excavation of hidden documents, Gonzalez Van Cleve presents an ironclad “howdunit,” illustrating the steps that our supposed system of justice takes to “find” criminals, coerce confessions, and bury evidence.
A clear pattern emerges as Lee Hester, a disabled fourteen-year-old boy, is branded a “super predator” and convicted of killing his teacher. At just seven years old, Romarr Gipson is charged with a murder that is physically impossible for him to commit. Groups of boys like the Roscetti Four and Dixmoor Five are characterized as “wolf packs” in a pattern that connects them to the Central Park Five. These “crime fictions” are actively produced, perfected by police, enshrined in our legal records by the courts, and reinforced by the media.
Placing the exonerated boys at the center of their own story, Crime Fictions is a devastating, systemic account that leaves us to wonder just how many innocent souls have been claimed by the racist lies police tell.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
World of Books Inc
Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 4 to 12 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 0.00 | £ 8.13 |
Payment methods
Store description
Founded in 2002, World of Books is a leading online destination for buying and selling both preloved and new books, committed to making sustainable reading accessible to all. With a mission to help people read more and waste less, World of Books offers a huge range of affordable, high-quality books — giving both new and preloved titles a second life. The company also operates World of Books – Sell Your Books, an easy-to-use platform that allows customers to trade in unwanted books for cash, helping to keep books in circulation while promoting sustainability. As a Certified B Corp, World of Books is driven by a vision to become the world’s largest and most sustainable dedicated online bookstore. The company measures its success through the positive environmental impact it creates, the value it provides to customers, and its ability to operate profitably while supporting its sustainable mission …
Specialty
Second Hand - All GenreSeller's business information
SBYB, Inc.
900 Knell Road
Montgomery, IL U.S.A. 60538
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to World of Books Inc, Montgomery, Illinois, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.