DASLP Faculty Member Thomas Noel Jr. Publishes New Book on the Impact of Police Killings on Families and Communities

The Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy (DASLP) at Morgan State University is proud to share that Assistant Professor Thomas Noel Jr., who teaches in the Urban Educational Leadership Program, has published a new book examining the social and community impact of police violence in the United States with his collaborator Dr. Rafael Outland, Assistant Professor at Alfred University.

Dr. Noel and Dr. Outland’s book, The Impact of Police Killings on the Family and Community of Youth Victims, centers the voices of survivors whose children and loved ones were killed by police. Through in-depth interviews conducted across the United States, the authors document the profound and lasting effects of these deaths on families, communities, and grassroots activists.

Responding to data showing that more than 135 children and teens were killed by police in 2016 and 2017 alone, the research team traveled to multiple communities to listen to and learn from those directly affected. The book presents deeply personal narratives that illuminate the emotional, social, and political consequences of youth killed by police.

The scholarship also situates these experiences within a broader analysis of the history of policing in the United States. Drawing connections to U.S. colonialism, structured and deputized violence, and the historical policing of marginalized groups, the book examines how police power has developed and how communities have responded through organizing and resistance.

By synthesizing survivor narratives with historical and policy analysis, the book offers recommendations and strategies for educators, activists, organizers, and scholars working to rethink public safety and accountability. The work is especially relevant for those studying urban education, educational leadership, social justice, and community engagement, areas that are central to DASLP’s graduate programs in education.

Dr. Noel’s scholarship reflects the department’s commitment to equity-oriented research, community engagement, and the study of educational systems within their broader social and historical context. His work contributes to ongoing national conversations about justice, public safety, and the experiences of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and economically marginalized communities.

Learn more about the book here: https://www.routledge.com/The-Impact-of-Police-Killings-on-the-Family-and-Community-of-Youth-Victims-Justified/Outland-NoelJr/p/book/9781041126577