Rafael A. Mangual, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, offers a conservative critique of criminal justice reform movements that have gained momentum across the political spectrum. Mangual argues that well-intentioned reforms have gone too far, producing policies that increase crime and harm the vulnerable communities they claim to help. He challenges progressive claims about mass incarceration, arguing that America's prison population largely reflects serious offenses and that incarceration provides genuine benefits to communities plagued by violence. The book examines specific policies including bail reform, prosecutorial discretion, and policing strategies, arguing that lenient approaches expose the most disadvantaged Americans to criminal victimization. Mangual draws on crime statistics, academic research, and his own experience growing up in a rough Bronx neighborhood to make his case. He contends that progressive reformers and their academic allies systematically discount public safety while exaggerating the harms of incarceration. The book calls for maintaining traditional crime control measures while improving their implementation rather than abandoning them entirely. Readers need not agree with Mangual's conclusions to find value in his challenge to the reform consensus; he presents evidence and arguments that deserve engagement from anyone concerned with criminal justice policy. A clear statement of the case against decarceration from someone who believes communities of color have the most to lose from reduced policing and punishment.