Political Science

Unlocking Justice: The Power of Data to Confront Inequity and Create Change

How we can challenge social injustice鈥攚ith data and humanity

Hardcover

Price:
$27.95/拢22.00
ISBN:
Published (US):
May 19, 2026
Published (UK):
Jul 14, 2026
2026
Pages:
232
Size:
5.5 x 8.5 in.
Illus:
10 b/w illus.

The American legal system does not offer equal justice to all; we can see obvious racial disparities in sentencing, policing, and incarceration. In Unlocking Justice, Chad Topaz offers a concrete way forward, demonstrating how a candid dialogue between social justice and data science can empower communities, spark informed debate, and inspire advocacy. In addition to big ideas, Topaz brings the receipts鈥攖he data. Drawing on unedited police call logs, chaotic city websites, fragmented judicial records, and other overlooked sources, Topaz explains how social forces shape the data we collect, influencing whose voices are heard and whose remain unheard. From a rural New England town plagued by police misconduct to New York鈥檚 notorious Rikers Island jail, the stories Topaz tells demonstrate how numbers can expose injustice鈥攁nd how data can underpin activism.

Topaz shows readers how to interpret data in context and question underlying assumptions, providing even those who might be math-averse with practical tools to challenge inequities. He takes readers through his own data science activism, including an examination of public judicial data that revealed the identities of judges who imposed excessive bail; a data-driven investigation of racial disparities in policing, prompted by a police station鈥檚 openly displayed portrait of Hitler; and an analysis of Florida鈥檚 controversial risk algorithm, COMPAS, for racial bias. The book鈥檚 鈥淪how Your Work鈥 companion website connects readers to data sources and the studies behind the stories. When we are armed with the facts and the numbers, Topaz assures us, we can all be effective advocates for transparency, accountability, and justice.