The best Penology eBooks: Reddit reviews

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thx missingtruth, Would you be so kind as to leave an Amazon review https://www.amazon.com/Un-Making-Murderer-Framing-Steven-Brendan-ebook/dp/B01M5FWM6J/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews

thanks trunkyuk, when you've finished, would you be so kind as to leave an Amazon review https://www.amazon.com/Un-Making-Murderer-Framing-Steven-Brendan-ebook/dp/B01M5FWM6J/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews

We Do This 'Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba. I can't say I would recommend it. It's a collection of previously published essays and interviews with the author, so it's all VERY surface level.

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-House-Inside-Leavenworth-Prison-ebook/dp/B005X0JFUI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FUYYN10U3IG9&keywords=The+hothouse&qid=1656679901&s=books&sprefix=the+hothouse%2Cstripbooks%2C53&sr=1-1

This was a good read but it concerns the civilian side of the facility.

Or out. Read a book about Leavenworth once. A con in khakis with a clipboard escaped by convincing a guard he was an inspector and to pass him though to the visitor area.

The Hot House: Life Inside Leavenworth Prison https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005X0JFUI/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_gl_YZW4RWSTW6WTF16BBSHY

There's a pretty long podcast where a guy delves into why humans "like" to watch other humans suffer (we do it virtually now with movies depicting it rather than gathering at the gallows). He digs into a lot of historical stuff regarding executions. Also mentions a book compiled from the diary of an executioner --- called The Faithful Executioner. Executioner was a job that paid pretty good but marked you as untouchable like the tax collector. It stayed as a family vocation passed down from one gen to the next.

https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Executioner-Turbulent-Sixteenth-Century-ebook/dp/B0096MTBO4

There's an excellent book about this (according to my spouse): The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century. It's from primary sources, namely an executioner writing about his life.

The drug war actually accounts for a fairly small % of people in prison, and an even smaller % of people are incarcerated for drugs and have no history of violence. I recommend Pfaff's book. He wants prison reform and discusses why it will be difficult to implement but suggests ways it could be promoted.

> rather than just a regular job

I think there is an implicit assumption in many a discussion about the poverty problem that if jobs were available, people would jump on them. It is not universally the case. I am sure that there are some people who would benefit. Many, however, lack basic - minimal - skills required to hold a job - showing up on time, basic English language skills, professional behavior, ability to work in a team, etc. People in the decayed urban core come from a family where generations did not have a job. Generations. Male and female side.

This book is an eye opener on the urban poor life in US - it is written by an advocate for the urban poor, so it is very sympathetic to the people - but it is very clear that just more money or more jobs or opportunities are extremely unlikely to help.

https://www.amazon.com/Run-Fugitive-Life-American-City-ebook/dp/B00MEELFE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499114775&sr=8-1&keywords=On+the+run

You should read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Run-Fugitive-Life-American-City-ebook/dp/B00MEELFE0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1497922700&sr=8-3&keywords=on+the+run

It is enlightening.

The reason African American population is in constant contact with American law enforcement system is because they commit disproportionate amount of crimes. At this point I don't think this has much to do with institutionalized racism, and more to do with poverty, lack of opportunities, and, let's face it, the fact that mothers drink and do drugs when they are pregnant.