Life Sentences : Rage and Survival Behind Bars

Rating:
Summary: An aged and droll collection of complaints by prisoners
Review: 'Life Sentences' is collection of essays from as long ago as the 1950s.

The essays are written by inmates and have the angle that the prison system is evil and that they are good men wronged by the world.

They complain about capital punishment and not getting to have glass containers in their cells with the same level of indignation.

In one section a prisoner is reported by the book itself to have been seen 16 feet from a murder scene, told law enforcement officials facts about the murder he couldn't have known unless saw the crime happen and then he pleaded guilty in court. The authors then state "There appears to have been little real evidence Williams actually committed the murder". Get real.

If you want a book about prisons instead of complaints by prisoners done wrong try 'Men Behind Bars' by Wayne Wooden and Jay Parker.

Rating:
Summary: The definitive work on the US Penal System.
Review: This is a book every socially conscious American should read. A collection of works from the only uncensored prison newspaper in America, the award-winning "Angolite", this books encompasses everything from the mundane to the extraordinary, from the poignant to the horrifying realities of prison life. It covers both the fiscal concerns and the human issues involved in incarceration. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Look Inside
Review: While there are newer books on prison life, this is still one of the best. It gives a surprisingly balanced view of past and current treatment of prisoners and a good look at prisoners' lives from their own perspective.