"Prisons make us safer" And 20 other myths about mass incarceration

Victoria Law, 1977-

Book - 2021

An accessible guide for activists, educators, and all who are interested in understanding how the prison system oppresses communities and harms individuals. The United States incarcerates more of its residents than any other nation. Though home to 5% of the global population, the United States has nearly 25% of the world's prisoners--a total of over 2 million people. This number continues to steadily rise. Over the past 40 years, the number of people behind bars in the United States has increased by 500%. Journalist Victoria Law explains how racism and social control were the catalysts for mass incarceration and have continued to be its driving force: from the post-Civil War laws that states passed to imprison former slaves, to the law...s passed under the "War Against Drugs" campaign that disproportionately imprison Black people. She breaks down these complicated issues into four main parts : 1. The rise and cause of mass incarceration ; 2. Myths about prison ; 3. Misconceptions about incarcerated people ; 4. How to end mass incarceration. Through carefully conducted research and interviews with incarcerated people, Law identifies the 21 key myths that propel and maintain mass incarceration, including : The system is broken and we simply need some reforms to fix it ; Incarceration is necessary to keep our society safe ; Prison is an effective way to get people into drug treatment ; Private prison corporations drive mass incarceration. "Prisons Make Us Safer" is a necessary guide for all who are interested in learning about the cause and rise of mass incarceration and how we can dismantle it.

Saved in:
Place a Hold Save to List Email this

2nd Floor Show me where

365/Law
0 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
2nd Floor 365/Law Due Nov 22, 2024
Subjects
Imprisonment.
Criminal justice, Administration of.
Public relations.
Prisons.
Crime.
Criminals.
Published
Boston, Massachusetts : Beacon Press [2021]
Language
English
Main Author
Victoria Law, 1977- (author)
Item Description
Series information from publisher's website.
Physical Description
viii, 228 pages ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 187-217) and index.
ISBN
9780807029527
  • A Note on Language
  • Introduction
  • Part 1. What Drives the Mass Incarceration Boom? Myths about the Causes of Mass Incarceration
  • Chapter 1. The system of mass incarceration is flawed and not working as designed (or, A brief history).
  • Chapter 2. We need prisons to make us safer.
  • Chapter 3. Prisons are places of rehabilitation.
  • Chapter 4. Private prison corporations drive mass incarceration.
  • Chapter 5. Private corporations and profit from prison labor drive mass incarceration.
  • Chapter 6. Race has nothing to do with mass incarceration (or, If people of color are disproportionately incarcerated, it's because they commit more crimes).
  • Chapter 7. "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time." People need to take personal responsibility for their actions.
  • Part 2. The Myths of Prisons as Service Providers and Safety Nets
  • Chapter 8. Jails and prisons provide people with needed mental health care.
  • Chapter 9. People in prison "jump the line" for life-saving medical care.
  • Chapter 10. Incarceration is an effective way to get people into drug treatment.
  • Part 3. The Invisible People Behind the Walls
  • Chapter 11. Mass incarceration only affects Black cisgender men.
  • Chapter 12. Bringingup a history of abuse and violence is simply an "abuse excuse."
  • Chapter 13. Mass incarceration and immigrant detention are unrelated issues that can be addressed separately.
  • Part 4. How Do We End Mass Incarceration?
  • Chapter 14. Most people are in prison for nonviolent drug offenses. Let them out and we'll end mass incarceration.
  • Chapter 15. People in prison don't resist or organize against abusive conditions.
  • Chapter 16. Prisons keep us safe from murderers and rapists.
  • Chapter 17. Incarceration and sex offender registries are necessary to keep our children safe.
  • Chapter 18. The system is broken and we simply need some reforms to fix it.
  • Chapter 19. We should make our prisons more like those in Norway.
  • Chapter 20. Prisons are the only logical and evident way to address violent crime and meet the needs of victims.
  • Chapter 21. Even if societal and political conditions are to blame, there's nothing we can do about it.
  • For Further Reading
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • Index
Review by Booklist Review

More than two million people are incarcerated in the U.S. While advocates for prison reform or abolition have gained momentum in recent years, persistent myths pervade national discussions of mass incarceration. This illuminating book from journalist Law (Prison by Any Other Name, 2020) addresses these myths directly. Law examines the false assumptions that shape how many people view the prison system, such as the common belief that prisons are dedicated to rehabilitation or the argument that private prison corporations have been primary drivers of mass incarceration. In addition to outlining the history of incarceration, she further explores racial discrimination, homophobia, and transphobia in policing and sentencing. In analyzing how to end mass incarceration, Law interrogates often-repeated solutions, such as that the U.S. could solve the crisis by emulating the Norwegian correctional system. Throughout each chapter, Law includes perspectives from people previously or currently imprisoned, which add depth to her well-researched analysis. Through thoughtful and clear prose, Law inspires readers to reconsider the role of punishment and incarceration in civil society.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A critique of the many misconceptions about prisons in the U.S. In her cogent analysis, journalist and criminal justice activist Law dissects the myths that blur what she asserts is the true reality about mass incarceration in the U.S. The author attributes the 500% prison population explosion in recent decades to tougher criminal policies and increased public demand for harsher sentences. In a four-part study, the author scrutinizes the numerous gray areas regarding incarceration, incorporating a wealth of supporting research, startling statistical data, and illuminating interviews and anecdotal material. Law digs into the shady practices of private prison corporations and thoroughly debunks the myth that incarceration delivers much-needed social and mental health services to inmates. In fact, she writes, incarceration pulls energy and resources away from underfunded social services. The author explores the history of prisons as a form of racialized social control and counters theories that they protect people from high rates of crime. She also contradicts falsehoods regarding the effectiveness of prison sentences for sex offenders and lays bare the inequity of treatment involving women, LGBTQ+ people, and those in immigrant detention, groups that are commonly omitted from broader discussions about incarceration. Law concludes with arguments for the abolition of prisons and the efficacy of restorative justice, "a process that centers on the victim and their needs, not only allowing them to have a voice in the proceedings but also addressing the needs that they have." Though Law's arguments are well-documented and persuasive, the most effective parts of the narrative are the personal stories of inmates struggling with a wide range of significant issues. The author also pitches ideas for resolving many of the conundrums she discusses, and her knowledgeable text presents a good opportunity for healthy, productive debate among proponents and dissenters alike. Convincing, creatively effective arguments for the dismantling of mass incarceration. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Similar Items