The Unfinished Fight: Systemic Racism, Police Brutality, and the Path to Justice Reform in 2025 and Beyond

Introduction: A Reckoning Still in Progress

Five years after the murder of George Floyd sparked a global outcry, the fight for racial justice and police reform remains a critical battleground in the United States. Systemic racism in policing and the broader criminal justice system continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. From excessive force to unequal sentencing, the data paints a stark picture: Black Americans are nearly five times more likely to be incarcerated than white Americans, and Black men face a 1-in-1,000 chance of being killed by police—2.5 times higher than their white counterparts. Yet, recent developments in 2025 show both progress and setbacks, raising urgent questions about where we go from here. This blog post explores the history of systemic racism in policing, the current state of reform, and what the future holds for creating a more equitable justice system.

The Roots of the Problem: A History of Control

To understand today’s challenges, we must trace the origins of policing in America. Modern policing has roots in the slave patrols of the 1700s, particularly in the Carolinas, where armed groups were tasked with controlling enslaved Black populations and preventing uprisings. These patrols used violence and surveillance to enforce a system of racial subjugation, a legacy that lingers in today’s over-policing of Black communities. By the 20th century, policing evolved to serve new purposes, like enforcing Jim Crow laws and responding to urban unrest, often with brutal force. High-profile incidents, from the 1992 Rodney King beating to the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, exposed how policing practices disproportionately target people of color, often justified by flawed rationales like “broken windows” policing or revenue-driven ticketing.

The data underscores this reality. A 2019 study found Black drivers were more likely to be stopped and searched than white drivers, despite lower contraband hit rates, suggesting racial bias in police decision-making. Black Americans, who make up 13% of the U.S. population, accounted for 27% of arrests in 2016 and 22% of fatal police shootings. These disparities cascade through the justice system, from arrests to sentencing, where Black defendants often receive harsher penalties for similar offenses.

2025: A Mixed Landscape of Reform

As we move through 2025, the push for police reform has seen both advances and significant rollbacks. Following George Floyd’s death, reforms like duty-to-intervene policies, bans on chokeholds, and stronger decertification processes for misconduct were adopted in several states. For example, 12 states and Washington, D.C., implemented laws requiring officers to intervene or report excessive force, and 21 of the nation’s 100 largest police departments adopted similar policies since 2020. Consent decrees—court-enforced agreements to address systemic police misconduct—have also shown results. In Baltimore, incidents of bodily force dropped from 2,427 in 2018 to 1,183 in 2021, and misconduct investigations improved significantly.

However, 2025 has brought alarming reversals. The U.S. Department of Justice recently moved to terminate reform agreements in Minneapolis and Louisville, which were established to address unconstitutional policing after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. This decision, coupled with discussions of potential pardons for officers like Derek Chauvin, has sparked outrage among activists and communities who see it as a step backward. Posts on X reflect growing frustration, with users like@NAACPnoting that Congress has failed to pass meaningful legislation like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which stalled in the Senate in 2021.

Subtopic: Police Accountability

Accountability remains a cornerstone of reform efforts. Policies like duty-to-intervene and decertification aim to hold officers responsible for misconduct. States like Massachusetts and Colorado have taken bold steps: Massachusetts decertifies officers for actions like false arrests or excessive force, while Colorado restricted qualified immunity in 2020, making it easier to sue officers for constitutional violations. Yet, challenges persist. Police unions often resist these measures, and the “qualified immunity” doctrine continues to shield officers from liability in many cases. The ACLU and others argue that abolishing qualified immunity and establishing a federal lethal force standard—allowing deadly force only when absolutely necessary—could transform accountability.

Civilian oversight boards are another tool, but their effectiveness varies. A 2019 study found that boards with broad investigative powers reduced racial disparities in disorderly conduct arrests, but their impact often wanes over time. Community-led efforts, like those in Camden, New Jersey, which restructured its police force in 2013, show promise but face challenges like increased officer numbers and persistent crime.

Subtopic: Community Policing

Community policing, which emphasizes collaboration between police and residents, is often touted as a solution to rebuild trust. Programs like Eugene, Oregon’s CAHOOTS, divert nonviolent 911 calls to trained crisis workers, reducing police involvement in mental health or homelessness issues. However, implementation is uneven. Many departments remain rooted in aggressive, reactive tactics, and community policing can feel performative without addressing deeper systemic issues. Black youth in places like West Louisville, Kentucky, report being stereotyped as criminals, highlighting the gap between rhetoric and reality. True community policing requires cultural shifts within departments and investment in social services to address root causes like poverty and lack of opportunity.

Subtopic: Racial Disparities in the Justice System

Racial disparities permeate every stage of the justice system. Black Californians are twice as likely to be searched during stops (20% vs. 8% for white Californians), and Black youth make up 35% of juvenile arrests despite being 15% of the youth population. These inequities compound at sentencing, where Black defendants often face longer prison terms. Reforms like Delaware’s Senate Bill 47, which eliminated drug-free school zone sentencing enhancements, aim to reduce disparities, but broader systemic change is needed. The UN’s 2023 report on U.S. policing called for comprehensive reform, noting “heart-breaking testimonies” of victims denied justice.

Looking to the Future

The future of police reform hinges on bold, sustained action. Advocates push for reallocating police budgets to social services, ending pretextual traffic stops, and expanding alternatives like CAHOOTS. Yet, political resistance, particularly from police unions and conservative policymakers, remains a hurdle. Project 2025, a controversial policy framework, proposes ending consent decrees and expanding punitive measures like the death penalty, which critics argue will exacerbate racial disparities. Meanwhile, grassroots movements like Black Lives Matter continue to demand systemic change, emphasizing abolition and reinvestment in communities.

Technology could play a role. Body cameras have reduced racial gaps in misconduct investigations in some areas, but their impact is limited without broader cultural shifts. Data transparency, like California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Act, could drive accountability, but only if agencies consistently report and act on findings. Ultimately, reform must address the root causes of disparities—poverty, segregation, and systemic bias—while empowering communities to shape their own safety.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

The fight against systemic racism and police brutality is far from over. While reforms have made strides, recent rollbacks in 2025 underscore the fragility of progress. For meaningful change, we must demand accountability, invest in community-led solutions, and confront the historical roots of injustice. The question is not whether reform is needed but whether we have the collective will to see it through.

Thought-Provoking Questions:

1. How can communities balance the need for public safety with reducing over-policing in marginalized neighborhoods?

2. What role should federal oversight play in police reform, given recent moves to end consent decrees?

3. Can community policing truly bridge the trust gap without addressing systemic issues like poverty and racial bias?

Sources: Information drawn from various web sources and posts on X, including The Sentencing Project, Harvard Gazette, UN OHCHR, NACDL, and recent news on DOJ actions.