Hidden Stories of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry – Personal Reflections

Young people who come into contact with police officers on the streets today have little idea of the significance of the stabbing to death of Stephen Lawrence in a racist attack in 1993. Only their parents or grandparents remember the daily exposures of police incompetence and indirect racism which were given high profile in the media for six months. The repercussions of the case are still ongoing with the long overdue conviction in 2012 of two of the original suspects, and in the same year a number of racist assaults by police. This accessible and engaging book includes analysis of hitherto inaccessible transcripts. These dramatically show how the Inquiry was undermined to the point of failure to produce the desired results. Dr Stone also discusses contemporary issues and the relevance of the Inquiry today. This paperback edition is updated with a new Afterword, including revelations about police surveillance on members of the public who attended the Lawrence Inquiry, Dr Stone’s meetingwith Mark Ellison QC prior to the release of his report on possible corruption and the role of undercover policing in the Stephen Lawrence case, and proposals for action on implementation of the agenda set by the Lawrence Inquiry. Hard-hitting and full of insightful detail, this book makes essential reading for academics, students, researchers and anyone interested in institutional racism, particularly in the police.