Status
Checked out
Series
Genres
Publication
Seven Stories Press (2003), Edition: 0, Paperback, 128 pages
Description
Law. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML: With her characteristic brilliance, grace and radical audacity, Angela Y. Davis has put the case for the latest abolition movement in American life: the abolition of the prison. As she quite correctly notes, American life is replete with abolition movements, and when they were engaged in these struggles, their chances of success seemed almost unthinkable. For generations of Americans, the abolition of slavery was sheerest illusion. Similarly,the entrenched system of racial segregation seemed to last forever, and generations lived in the midst of the practice, with few predicting its passage from custom. The brutal, exploitative (dare one say lucrative?) convict-lease system that succeeded formal slavery reaped millions to southern jurisdictions (and untold miseries for tens of thousands of men, and women). Few predicted its passing from the American penal landscape. Davis expertly argues how social movements transformed these social, political and cultural institutions, and made such practices untenable. In Are Prisons Obsolete?, Professor Davis seeks to illustrate that the time for the prison is approaching an end. She argues forthrightly for "decarceration", and argues for the transformation of the society as a whole..… (more)
Media reviews
In this brilliant, thoroughly researched book, Angela Davis swings a wrecking ball into the racist and sexist underpinnings of the American prison system. Her arguments are well wrought and restrained, leveling an unflinching critique of how and why more than 2 million Americans are presently
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behind bars, and the corporations who profit from their suffering. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member beau.p.laurence
highly recommended; a great overview of the "correctional" corporation in the U.S.
LibraryThing member jbushnell
Slim, readable critique of the prison-industrial complex. Points out ample racism and sexism, although, oddly, the titular question of "obsolescence" is mostly left unaddressed. Useful as an introduction to the prison abolition movement, although newcomers to the topic may want more convincing that
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punishment and/or reformation would function better in a post-prison world. Show Less
LibraryThing member addict
In this brilliant, thoroughly researched book, Angela Davis swings a wrecking ball into the racist and sexist underpinnings of the American prison system. Her arguments are well wrought and restrained, leveling an unflinching critique of how and why more than 2 million Americans are presently
Show More
behind bars, and the corporations who profit from their suffering. Davis explores the biases that criminalize communities of color, politically disenfranchising huge chunks of minority voters in the process. Uncompromising in her vision, Davis calls not merely for prison reform, but for nothing short of 'new terrains of justice.' Another invaluable work in the Open Media Series by one of America's last truly fearless public intellectuals Show Less
LibraryThing member ASKelmore
Best for: Those looking for a quick introduction to prison abolition.
In a nutshell: Scholar Angela Y. Davis provides, through six dense chapters, an overview of the problem with prison as the default response to crime, and urges us to consider alternatives.
Line that sticks with me: “A description
Why I chose it: I’m still trying to learn more about prison abolition.
Review: This is a relatively short book at 115 pages, but Dr. Davis packs so much information into it. She provides a good background of how we got to this point in the U.S., where we have 5% of the world’s population but 25% of the worlds prisoners. She addresses the evolution from slavery to chain gangs (a concept that will be familiar to those of you who’ve watched “13th”), and looks at the way prison impacts people of color more than white people.
The book also delves into the prison-industrial complex, and how so much of our economy is tied up in the idea of incarceration. From private prisons that rely on keeping people incarcerated to make money, to the government-run institutions that make large purchases from multi-national corporations, prisons make bank on the backs of those most without power.
The final chapter brings into focus the theme that runs throughout: that we need to think about prison in a different way. Why do we assume that prison is necessary? Because we’ve grown up with it. It’s ingrained in our culture. But it isn’t helping the people in our society, so we need to radically change how we think about it. As in other books on prison, this section still leaves me with questions, but I’m getting there.
In a nutshell: Scholar Angela Y. Davis provides, through six dense chapters, an overview of the problem with prison as the default response to crime, and urges us to consider alternatives.
Line that sticks with me: “A description
Show More
of supermaxes in a 1997 Human Rights Watch report sounds chillingly like Dicken’s description of Eastern State Penitentiary. What is different, however, is that all references to individual rehabilitation have disappeared.”Why I chose it: I’m still trying to learn more about prison abolition.
Review: This is a relatively short book at 115 pages, but Dr. Davis packs so much information into it. She provides a good background of how we got to this point in the U.S., where we have 5% of the world’s population but 25% of the worlds prisoners. She addresses the evolution from slavery to chain gangs (a concept that will be familiar to those of you who’ve watched “13th”), and looks at the way prison impacts people of color more than white people.
The book also delves into the prison-industrial complex, and how so much of our economy is tied up in the idea of incarceration. From private prisons that rely on keeping people incarcerated to make money, to the government-run institutions that make large purchases from multi-national corporations, prisons make bank on the backs of those most without power.
The final chapter brings into focus the theme that runs throughout: that we need to think about prison in a different way. Why do we assume that prison is necessary? Because we’ve grown up with it. It’s ingrained in our culture. But it isn’t helping the people in our society, so we need to radically change how we think about it. As in other books on prison, this section still leaves me with questions, but I’m getting there.
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LibraryThing member jakebornheimer
This short book raises all the right questions. Definitely a good book for a first foray into the concept of prison abolition. The concept of the Prison-Industrial Complex, while not new to me, is fleshed out nicely here. For what it is, it does a great job, but leaves a lot to be desired in
Overall, I would recommend this book to everybody. In fact, I'm lending it to my grandma right now. Oh and if anybody has any recommendations for next reads in prison abolition, hit me up.
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imagining abolitionist alternatives (as in the final chapter, which is a short 9 pages).Overall, I would recommend this book to everybody. In fact, I'm lending it to my grandma right now. Oh and if anybody has any recommendations for next reads in prison abolition, hit me up.
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LibraryThing member arewenotben
Extremely good on the history of prisons and how ill-suited they are for their purpose. Not quite as strong on potential alternatives, requiring some pretty radical (and long overdue) changes to society in general over a sustained period of time but these details are skated over in comparison to
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the rest of the work. Too short a book for a complete solution, a good primer on the fundamental flaws in prisons. Show Less
LibraryThing member laze
Despite being 17 years old, still a very good introduction to the concept of prision abolition that makes me want to read more.
LibraryThing member kevix
gives an overview of the development of the prison industrial complex in the US and calls for people to envision a post-prison future
LibraryThing member thereserose5
I read a few chapters of this in college, but decided to take my time and read through the entire book. I read and reread because abolition is something I think we could see in my lifetime. This book is a must read if you are thinking about the concepts of "crime" and "justice".
LibraryThing member kakadoo202
Interesting subject although if would required to completely change today’s society as we know it.
LibraryThing member Pepperwings
An important essay? Treatise? Great viewpoint, good ideas, hard to put into action.
LibraryThing member greeniezona
This was the suggested read for March for #LansingReads22, and since I had so loved Freedom is a Constant Struggle, I decided to actually go with the suggested title for once and ordered it. (Then got sidetracked for no good reason and didn't finish it it time to take part in the discussion
Davis is brilliant, of course and this is a concise examination of the problem with prisons -- historically and how that got us to now. This seems like it would be an excellent jumping off point for someone new to reading/thinking about abolition. She asks tough questions, but this is just the start of a long and difficult conversation. (An excellent one, at that.)
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anyway.)Davis is brilliant, of course and this is a concise examination of the problem with prisons -- historically and how that got us to now. This seems like it would be an excellent jumping off point for someone new to reading/thinking about abolition. She asks tough questions, but this is just the start of a long and difficult conversation. (An excellent one, at that.)
Show Less
LibraryThing member Andjhostet
Really well written book by Angela Davis, it's fairly short, lays out all the arguments in a great way, and is highly educational. It explains the prison-industrial complex from top to bottom, from it's beginnings (a system to oppress freed slaves) to it's place in modern society (a system to
Her goal is ultimately a system that focuses on healing and support, rather than oppression and isolation.
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oppress poor people and minorities, while being extremely profitable). Her goal is ultimately a system that focuses on healing and support, rather than oppression and isolation.
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Subjects
Original publication date
2003
Physical description
128 p.; 4.99 inches
ISBN
1583225811 / 9781583225813
Local notes
prison/ violence
Other editions
Are prisons obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis (Paper Book)
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