After the Chauvin Trial, America Must Think About Justice

The killing of George Floyd marked a turning point in America’s history of racial justice and injustice. It lent new urgency to questions too long ignored, and drew national and global attention to the issue. To be sure, the guilty verdicts in the trial of Derek Chauvin offer only so much by way of closure — Chauvin seems bound to appeal, the other officers involved await their own trials, and this killing, however egregious, was hardly unique. Nonetheless, the outcome of Chauvin’s trial is a moment for sober reflection.

An enormous challenge confronting U.S. policy makers is to recognize and address the failings of the U.S. criminal-justice system without crippling the ability of the police to do their vital work. It should be emphasized that this work is especially important in protecting the lives and livelihoods of Black Americans, who suffer disproportionately from many kinds of crime. This is why “defunding” the police cannot possibly be the answer. But better policing, including efforts to make officers’ tasks less dangerous for all concerned, is essential.