Racism and Police Violence in the US today: A View of an Investigative Reporter

What is it like to be an investigative journalist, specializing in law enforcement and policing, in today’s America?

In this podcast, INSS research associate Adi Kantor interviews Simone Weichselbaum, an American journalist who for 17 years has covered issues relating to the US criminal justice system and local policing. Together they discuss the current challenges in covering these topics in the Unites States, in the midst of worldwide mass demonstrations and riots, particularly after the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 at the hands of a white policeman in the streets of Minneapolis.

The questions examined include: What can be said about racial profiling by the US police today? How widespread is this phenomenon? How much are minorities truly protected? What exactly is “excessive use of force,” and how is it implemented by the police? What are the origins of this very troubling behavior, and what reforms are taken today by the US police in order to prevent it?