Punished is a groundbreaking ethnography that sheds light on the harsh realities faced by urban police criminalizing black and Latino boys.

Victor Rios, a former gang member and PhD graduate of Berkeley, returns to his hometown in Oakland to explore how these young men develop their sense of self amidst crime and intense policing.

Through a three-year study of forty delinquent Black and Latino boys, Rios uncovers the vicious cycle of punishment and incarceration that these marginalized youth face, from harassment and profiling to disciplinary measures before they even commit crimes.

However, Rios also finds sparks of resistance and a raised consciousness among some of these young men, leading them to transform their lives and become productive citizens.

By understanding the lives of those criminalized and pipelined through the criminal justice system, Punished offers a powerful call to action for change.