Get Tough & Smart - How to Start Winning the War on Drug Addiction

Roland G. Fryer, Jr. is the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University and faculty director of the Education Innovation Laboratory (EdLabs). Fryer's research combines economic theory, empirical evidence, and randomized experiments to help design more effective government policies. His work on education, inequality, and race has been widely cited in media outlets and Congressional testimony. Professor Fryer was awarded a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship and the John Bates Clark Medal -- given by the American Economic Association to the best American Economist under age 40. Among other honors, he is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a recipient of the Calvó-Armengol Prize and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. At age 30, he became the youngest African-American to receive tenure at Harvard. His current research focuses on education reform, social interactions, and police use of force. In July of 2016, he r...

A Simple Solution to the Problem of Police Shootings of African Americans Justice is sought with regard to individual slayings of African Americans, most recently Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. When President Obama mentions those particular slayings, he at the same time mentions systemic disparate treatment of African Americans in the American legal system. Plenty of statistics show police stops, arrests, prosecutions, sentencing and incarceration are pretty tough on African Americans. What’s not clear is whether this is due to systemic racism or higher rates of offending by African Americans. Each side in this debate marshals its own statistics. Progressives typically refer to Michelle Alexander’s book, The New Jim Crow , which unfortunately does not contain any solutions. Conservatives prefer the simple statement of Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr. when he recommends that we, “Stop trying to fix the police – Fix the ghetto!”   Fixing the ghetto has proven...

Most of the police shootings in the last few years might have been prevented had citizens obeyed the following accepted rules when stopped or approached by police officers:   Obey the instructions and orders of the police – it’s the law. Do not interfere with, or obstruct the police, as you can be arrested for it. Think carefully about your words, movement, body language, and emotions. Do not get into an argument with the police. Keep your hands where the police can see them. Do not run. Do not touch any police officer. Do not resist even if you believe you are innocent.   Out of respect for law enforcement and all lives, our leaders should educate the public about these common sense rules.