I think of police brutality as a social determinant of health because it can shape the environments in which people are, work, age and die. It is also a mechanism through which structural racism increases morbidity and mortality for Black women in the United States. My publications on this topic have appeared the American Journal of Public Health, Health Services Research, Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, Preventive Medicine Reports, Social Science & Medicine, and Journal of Criminal Justice was also invited to write an editorial for an important study on the variation of police-involved deaths by race and place, and another editorial for a conceptual article on the impact of police brutality on mental health.
I contribute to public dialogue on policing. Here is an interview with Inverse, and some of my Op-Eds.
- If Black lives matter, don’t simply reform policing — dismantle the system entirely. Salon. April 18,2021
- Why white silence is deafening – and deadly. Salon. May 31, 2020
- Better data are needed to dismantle racism in policing. Union of Concerned Scientists. April 24, 2018
- How to dismantle racism and prevent police brutality. USA Today. May 12, 2017
- The massive toll of police brutality: The fatal shootings — like in Louisiana and Minnesota — destroy minority communities, both physically and mentally. Salon. July 07, 2016
American Journal of Public Health Podcast: “Harnessing Police Brutality: Is This a Revolution?” With Dr. Mary Bassett, Dr. Leana Wen, and Dr. Lisa Bowleg. Moderated by Dr. Alfredo Morabia. August 2020
Sirry Alang, Ph.D. 