Lying Quote by Michelle Alexander
“Exposing police lying is difficult largely because it is rare for the police to admit their own lies or to acknowledge the lies of other officers. This reluctance derives partly from the code of silence that governs police practice and from the ways in which the system of mass incarceration is structured to reward dishonesty.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, 2010
Police often deny wrongdoing, reinforced by a culture of silence and a system that benefits from dishonesty.
In simple terms: Police hide lies because of a code of silence and incentives for dishonesty.
Key Takeaway
Challenge the code of silence and demand accountability.
Themes
accountability
justice
systemic bias
police culture
mass incarceration
Mood
frustrated
determined
critical
Type
analytical
advocacy
When to use this quote
- journalistic investigation
- legal reform
- community oversight
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
institutional racism
ethical failure
structural incentives
Questions to Reflect On
- How can communities break the code of silence?
- What reforms can reduce incentives for police dishonesty?
A Different Perspective
Changing entrenched norms is slow and may face resistance.
![“[T]he slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery. —W.E.B Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America For” quote by Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdb/michelle-alexander-750_slavery_t-he-slave-went-free-stood-a-brief-momen_96485.jpg)
![“[Islam] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left for Muslims lies in their observance of the God-made law.” quote by Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/704/abul-a-la-maududi-51903_function_islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislatio_886.jpg)
![“The social [media channel] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection, and community. That's what there's too little of in today's mediascape, despite all the hoopla surrounding social tools. The promise…” quote by Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c85/umair-haque-25881_beauty_the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-bea_1270.jpg)