Blood in the Water

To what extent did the “war on crime” initiated by Lyndon B. Johnson create the conditions that led to the Attica uprising?

How far was a deal with inmates, and hence an avoidance of a violent retaking, ever possible?

Discuss the following claim: “The personal appearance of Governor Rockefeller at Attica would have made little difference to events given prisoner demands for full legal amnesty.”

Can the decision of journalists to accept state stories about prisoner atrocities ever be justified?

Was the scale of violence in the retaking at Attica a product of accident or design?

Discuss the following claim: “Retroactive apologies by states for crimes committed in a different era achieve nothing.”

Should the role of lawyers be to pursue individual or social justice? Cite examples from the book in your response.

Does a discussion of history provide closure or only open old wounds? Respond with specific examples from the book.