"Prisons Make Us Safer": And 20 Other Myths about Mass Incarceration
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- Create Date：2021-04-27 20:31:09
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Victoria Law
- ISBN：0807029521
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Summary
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 was the catalyst for mass incarceration and has continued to be its driving force: from the post-Civil War laws that states passed to imprison former slaves， to the laws 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。
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 was the catalyst for mass incarceration and has continued to be its driving force: from the post-Civil War laws that states passed to imprison former slaves， to the laws 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。
Reviews
Kim Bongiorno
，
I really liked how this was framed， because each chapter starts with a myth—a sound bite that people who believe the messaging they’ve been fed all along—and works through it in an easily understandable way。 I’d call this a great introductory book for anyone who wants to better understand why so many are calling for the abolition of or extreme upending of the current policing and prison system。 Helpful， clear， motivating。
Charles
，
Ready to have your mind blown？ Read this in conjunction with: False Justice （Petroleum）; Just Mercy; The New Jim Crow （Alexander）， and Caste （Wilkerson）。
Ken McDouall
，
Victoria Law presents a very readable survey of issues surrounding our exploding prison population。 Though the information here is generally nothing that can't be found in any number of recent books on the subject， her organization of topics and discernment of these issues make this a very approachable book for those who might be discouraged from picking up a lengthy discourse。 Brief chapters tackle topics such as convictions for violent crimes， rather than the drug convictions that are commonly Victoria Law presents a very readable survey of issues surrounding our exploding prison population。 Though the information here is generally nothing that can't be found in any number of recent books on the subject， her organization of topics and discernment of these issues make this a very approachable book for those who might be discouraged from picking up a lengthy discourse。 Brief chapters tackle topics such as convictions for violent crimes， rather than the drug convictions that are commonly thought to undergird mass incarceration; the real impact of private prisons; the efficacy of attempts at rehabilitation; the cruelty and nonsensical nature of the system we have; and many others besides。 She is particularly astute when discussing the neglect and trauma suffered by victims of sexual and domestic violence。 Highly recommended for all public and undergraduate libraries。 Thanks to the publisher for making an advance reader copy available。 。。。more
Jenna Freedman
，
I highlighted about 30 brilliant/devastating passages from Victoria Law's brilliant/devastating Prisons Make Us Safer。 In a quick read for a work dense with scrupulously sourced myth-busting statements about mass incarceration， Law fires vicious truth bombs at the unjust criminal "justice" system。 The term "criminal justice system" refers to the legal system in which people are arrested， prosecuted， and threatened with imprisonment。 Advocates， particularly abolitionists， are increasingly rejecti I highlighted about 30 brilliant/devastating passages from Victoria Law's brilliant/devastating Prisons Make Us Safer。 In a quick read for a work dense with scrupulously sourced myth-busting statements about mass incarceration， Law fires vicious truth bombs at the unjust criminal "justice" system。 The term "criminal justice system" refers to the legal system in which people are arrested， prosecuted， and threatened with imprisonment。 Advocates， particularly abolitionists， are increasingly rejecting the use of that term， noting that the system does not provide justice， it metes out punishment。 The heart of Law's book is that prison doesn't do anything for anyone， and she anticipates any "Yeah， but。。。" a person might come up with。 In particular， Law has no time for prison as a preventative measure。 Incarceration takes place after harm is done， and she shows that incarceration is not a deterrent。 I could go on， and if you want me to export all of my highlights， I will！ In the meantime， thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC。 I should also disclose that I'm friends with Vikki--and dazzled by her！ 。。。more
Viola
，
“In 1970， the prison system in this country was perhaps one-tenth the size of what it is today。 Many people attribute this immense growth to the war on drugs。 But even more than that， the expansion of the prison system reflects a war being waged against people of color， against Black-Brown-Indigenous bodies—the very same colonial war brought to us by Columbus and the conquistadores。 These European “civilizers” treated Black and Brown people as if their lives were worth nothing。 In many parts of “In 1970， the prison system in this country was perhaps one-tenth the size of what it is today。 Many people attribute this immense growth to the war on drugs。 But even more than that， the expansion of the prison system reflects a war being waged against people of color， against Black-Brown-Indigenous bodies—the very same colonial war brought to us by Columbus and the conquistadores。 These European “civilizers” treated Black and Brown people as if their lives were worth nothing。 In many parts of the country， the designated value of our lives continues to be zero。” ― Maya Schenwar， Who Do You Serve， Who Do You Protect？: Police Violence and Resistance in the United States 。。。more
Erikka
，
I can't say enough about this book。 I took NOTES on this book。 I just started a job I'm very excited about that works to end incarceration， so this book came into my hands at exactly the right time。 Through a series of busted myths littered with facts and stats， the author explores the causes of mass incarceration， the supposed positive effects of it on society， the people affected by it， and ways to end it。 （Highlight chapters include: "but what about all the rapists and murderers？" and "we sho I can't say enough about this book。 I took NOTES on this book。 I just started a job I'm very excited about that works to end incarceration， so this book came into my hands at exactly the right time。 Through a series of busted myths littered with facts and stats， the author explores the causes of mass incarceration， the supposed positive effects of it on society， the people affected by it， and ways to end it。 （Highlight chapters include: "but what about all the rapists and murderers？" and "we should just base it on Norway！"） It leads to very interesting conversations about how much more nuanced crime is than we think。 In America， we tend to just lock everybody up and throw away the key。 This book establishes that that is not nearly enough forethought or discrimination （in the positive sense）。 Several of the statistics threw me for a loop， I appreciated the fact that it was extremely bipartisan （no president is safe because they’ve all done terrible things！）， and I liked that I had my own thoughts and beliefs checked on several occasions。 This is how you grow and learn。 I think I will be better at my new job having read this book， which I’ve already shared with my new colleagues。 And several friends。 And people on social media。 I’ve told everyone about this book。 Now let’s go out there and abolish the prison system！ You now have 21 pieces of ammunition against the naysayers and whataboutists--fire at will。 。。。more
Andréa
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