"Prisons Make Us Safer"

March 1, 2021
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.

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March 1, 2021
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.

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July 2, 2021

Prison abolitionist and journalist Law (Resistance Behind Bars) attempts to disprove common myths about incarceration in this brief, wide-ranging text. Dividing the work into four parts--the prison population boom, social services in prisons, overlooked groups (women and transgender people), and restorative and transformative justice--Law refutes a myth in each of 21 chapters; for instance, the claim that prisons provide much-needed health care services, and the claim that immigration detention is a separate issue from the mass incarceration debate. She makes a point to use the term "criminal legal system" rather than "criminal justice system" because, she notes, the system often fails to deliver justice for either offenders or victims. While writing this book, Law solicited feedback from incarcerated people, and she uses direct quotes from their correspondence as evidence for her arguments. She also includes a useful further reading section and comprehensive endnotes. However, chapters are short and lack depth; the chapter on murder and rape is the weakest. Problems are easily identified, but the book doesn't propose solutions, leaving readers to wonder how to move forward. It is questionable whether Law's strong point of view will appeal to readers who do not already share her beliefs. VERDICT While this book may be useful for academic libraries, public libraries are better served by other titles, such as Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow.--Jessica Hilburn, Benson Memorial Lib., Titusville, PA

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