Overview

Did Omar Little die of lead poisoning? Would a decriminalization strategy like the one in Hamsterdam end the War on Drugs? What will it take to save neglected kids like Wallace and Dukie? Tapping into 'The Wire' uses the acclaimed television series as a road map for exploring connections between inner-city poverty and drug-related violence. Past Baltimore City health commissioner Peter Beilenson teams up with former Baltimore Sun reporter Patrick A. McGuire to deliver a compelling, highly readable examination of urban policy and public health issues affecting cities across the nation. Each chapter recounts scenes from episodes of the HBO series, placing the characters' challenges into the broader context of public policy. A candid interview with the show's co-creator David Simon reveals that one of the intentions of the series is to expose gross failures of public institutions, including criminal justice, education, labor, the news media, and city government. Even if readers haven't seen the series, the book's detailed summaries of scenes and characters brings them up to speed and engages them in both the story and the issues. With a firm grasp on the hard truths of real-world problems, Tapping into 'The Wire' helps undo misconceptions and encourage a dialogue of understanding.

Full Product Details

Author:   Peter L. Beilenson, MD MPH ,  Patrick A. McGuire ,  David Simon
Publisher:   Johns Hopkins University Press
Imprint:   Johns Hopkins University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.40cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.340kg
ISBN:  

9781421411903

ISBN 10:   1421411903
Pages:   232
Publication Date:   27 October 2013
Recommended Age:   From 13
Audience:   General/trade ,  College/higher education ,  General ,  Further / Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

"Foreword: A Conversation with David Simon, Creator of The Wire, by Patrick A. McGuire 1. The New Public Health Crisis: Wallace's World 2. Heroin Central: The Street Life of Bubbles, Marlo, and Johnny 3. Losing the War on Drugs: The Pit versus the Police 4. Medicalize or Legalize: Hamsterdam 5. Needle Exchange and the AIDS Dilemma: Sticking It to ""the Bug"" 6. Treatment on Demand as a Strategy: Walon's Success Story 7. School Performance and the MIA Parent: The Tragedy of Dukie's Education 8. Teenage Pregnancy and STDs: Shardene's Escape 9. Firepower: Snoop's Beretta, Avon's Heckler, and Omar's Mossberg 10. Place Matters: Why Didn't Bodie Just Leave? 11. Of Paint and Guns: Did Omar Die of Lead Poisoning? 12. Obese Yet Malnourished: The Weighty Contradiction of Prop Joe 13. Public Health and Politics: The Promise and Peril of Tommy Carcetti Epilogue: Learning from The Wire: Practicing Politics to Practice Medicine Cast of Characters Notes Index"

Reviews

An engaging, fast-paced read that translates the fiction of a cable one-hour drama to the reality of an American City. Using the themes of the social determinants of health, governance, and intersectoral action, the book seeks to reframe the discourse about drug policy and the health of US cities. It is an important read for students and for those seeking to communicate the importance of social determinants of health and understand the politics of drugs and health in cities. -- Danielle C. Ompad * Journal of Urban Health * A convincing argument that nonviolent drug users are part of a significant public health problem that demands an effective response from cities... Readers cannot help but feel sympathy for those who struggle with addiction and the plight of government officials who strive to create alternatives to this dilemma. Highly recommended for readers interested in substance abuse or criminal justice issues and prepared for intellectual engagement. * Library Journal * Beilenson leads us through the rationale and implementation of public health initiatives that might have an effect on the show's characters, or on the city's embattled residents those characters are meant to portray. -- Andrew Cleary * Rain Taxi Review of Books *

An engaging, fast-paced read that translates the fiction of a cable one-hour drama to the reality of an American City. Using the themes of the social determinants of health, governance, and intersectoral action, the book seeks to reframe the discourse about drug policy and the health of US cities. It is an important read for students and for those seeking to communicate the importance of social determinants of health and understand the politics of drugs and health in cities. -- Danielle C. Ompad Journal of Urban Health A convincing argument that nonviolent drug users are part of a significant public health problem that demands an effective response from cities... Readers cannot help but feel sympathy for those who struggle with addiction and the plight of government officials who strive to create alternatives to this dilemma. Highly recommended for readers interested in substance abuse or criminal justice issues and prepared for intellectual engagement. Library Journal Beilenson leads us through the rationale and implementation of public health initiatives that might have an effect on the show's characters, or on the city's embattled residents those characters are meant to portray. -- Andrew Cleary Rain Taxi Review of Books

An engaging, fast-paced read that translates the fiction of a cable one-hour drama to the reality of an American City. Using the themes of the social determinants of health, governance, and intersectoral action, the book seeks to reframe the discourse about drug policy and the health of US cities. It is an important read for students and for those seeking to communicate the importance of social determinants of health and understand the politics of drugs and health in cities. -- Danielle C. Ompad Journal of Urban Health 2012 A convincing argument that nonviolent drug users are part of a significant public health problem that demands an effective response from cities... Readers cannot help but feel sympathy for those who struggle with addiction and the plight of government officials who strive to create alternatives to this dilemma. Highly recommended for readers interested in substance abuse or criminal justice issues and prepared for intellectual engagement. Library Journal 2012

Author Information

Peter L. Beilenson, M.D., M.P.H., is the CEO of Evergreen Health Cooperative. He served as health officer of Howard County, Maryland, from 2007 to 2012 and as Baltimore City Health Commissioner from 1992 to 2005. Patrick A. McGuire is a journalist with more than twenty years of experience, fourteen of which were at the Baltimore Sun.

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