Synopses & Reviews
Today there are approximately fifty thousand prisoners in American prisons serving life without parole, having been found guilty of crimes ranging from murder and rape to burglary, carjacking, and drug offences. In
The Forgotten Men, criminologist Margaret E. Leigey provides an insightful account of a group of aging inmates imprisoned for at least twenty years, with virtually no chance of release.and#160;These men make up one of the most marginalized segments of the contemporary U.S. prison population. Considered too dangerous for rehabilitation, ignored by prison administrators, and overlooked by courts disinclined to review such sentences, these prisoners grow increasingly cut off from family and the outside world. Drawing on in-depth interviews with twenty-five such prisoners, Leigey gives voice to these extremely marginalized inmates and offers a look at how they struggle to cope. She reveals, for instance, that the men believe that permanent incarceration is as inhumane as capital punishment, calling life without parole andldquo;the hard death penalty.andrdquo; Indeed, after serving two decades in prison, some wished that they had received the death penalty instead. Leigey also recounts the ways in which the prisoners attempt to construct meaningful lives inside the bleak environment where they will almost certainly live out their lives.and#160;
and#160;Every state in the union (except Alaska) has the life-without-parole sentencing option, despite its controversial nature and its staggering cost to the taxpayer. The Forgotten Men provides a much-needed analysis of the policies behind life-without-parole sentencing, arguing that such sentences are overused and lead to serious financial and ethical dilemmas.
and#160;and#160;and#160;
Review
"This is an incisive contribution to complicating juvenile crime, incarceration, and rehabilitation discussion. The authors locate several teenagers, inside and outside the juvenile facilities where they are confined, and show how they adapt one setting to the other with a hybrid of promising and troubling results."
Review
"This study takes us inside the lives of troubled youth that the juvenile court was designed to rescue; it is a must-read for those seeking a humane and effective juvenile corrections system."
Review
andquot;The Forgotten Men is a thorough, insightful, and engaging book that provides rich information and in-depth analysis in order to accurately convey the realities of life in prison. Leigeyandrsquo;s book is a unique and cutting?-?edge contribution.andquot;
Review
andquot;A profound and moving work of social science that explains in compelling prose what it means to sentence human beings to live and die in prison. The forgotten men whose life stories frame this book will be long remembered by students of penology. Leigeyandrsquo;s superb book will guide my research and teaching in the coming years.andquot;and#160;
Review
andquot;By carefully recording the decades-long experiences of those sentenced to permanent incarceration, Leigey brings a much needed degree of humanity to these forgotten men. In so doing, her important contribution impels readers to consider the purpose served by lifelong prison sentences.andquot;
Review
andquot;The Forgotten Men is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the human costs of mass incarceration in America. A compelling and compassionate account of injustice, inhumane punishment and the resilience of the human spirit, the book lays bare the devastating consequences of unnecessarily extreme sentencing policies.andquot;
Synopsis
This ethnographic text brings to light the challenges and complexities inherent in the U.S. system of juvenile corrections. Building on over a year of field work at a boys’ residential facility, the authors provide a context for contemporary institutions and highlight some of the system’s most troubling tensions. The book provides narratives, observations, case examples, and recommendations for rehabilitating the system. A detailed appendix on conducting field research is useful for individuals in the social sciences and helping professions.
Synopsis
To date, knowledge of the everyday world of the juvenile correction institution has been extremely sparse.
Compassionate Confinement brings to light the challenges and complexities inherent in the U.S. system of juvenile corrections. Building on over a year of field work at a boys' residential facility, Laura S. Abrams and Ben Anderson-Nathe provide a context for contemporary institutions and highlight some of the system's most troubling tensions.
This ethnographic text utilizes narratives, observations, and case examples to illustrate the strain between treatment and correctional paradigms and the mixed messages regarding gender identity and masculinity that the youths are expected to navigate. Within this context, the authors use the boys' stories to show various and unexpected pathways toward behavior change. While some residents clearly seized opportunities for self-transformation, others manipulated their way toward release, and faced substantial challenges when they returned home.
Compassionate Confinement concludes with recommendations for rehabilitating this notoriously troubled system in light of the experiences of its most vulnerable stakeholders.
Synopsis
Received an Honorable Mention for the 2015 Society for Social Work and Research Outstanding Social Work Book Award
To date, knowledge of the everyday world of the juvenile correction institution has been extremely sparse. Compassionate Confinement brings to light the challenges and complexities inherent in the U.S. system of juvenile corrections. Building on over a year of field work at a boys' residential facility, Laura S. Abrams and Ben Anderson-Nathe provide a context for contemporary institutions and highlight some of the system's most troubling tensions.
This ethnographic text utilizes narratives, observations, and case examples to illustrate the strain between treatment and correctional paradigms and the mixed messages regarding gender identity and masculinity that the youths are expected to navigate. Within this context, the authors use the boys' stories to show various and unexpected pathways toward behavior change. While some residents clearly seized opportunities for self-transformation, others manipulated their way toward release, and faced substantial challenges when they returned home.
Compassionate Confinement concludes with recommendations for rehabilitating this notoriously troubled system in light of the experiences of its most vulnerable stakeholders.
Synopsis
In The Forgotten Men, criminologist Margaret E. Leigey provides an insightful account of a group of inmates sentenced to life without parole. Imprisoned for at least twenty years, with virtually no chance of release, these men make up one of the most marginalized segments of the U.S. prison population. Drawing on in-depth interviews with twenty-five such prisoners, Leigey describes how they struggle to construct meaningful lives and provides a much-needed analysis of the policies behind life-without-parole sentencing.and#160;and#160;
About the Author
LAURA S. ABRAMS is an associate professor of social welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and has written over forty scholarly articles and book chapters concerning youth identity, juvenile corrections, and reentry.
BEN ANDERSON-NATHE is an associate professor and program director of Child and Family Studies at Portland State University. He is the author of Youth Workers, Stuckness, and the Myth of Supercompetence and coeditor of Child & Youth Services.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. History and Current Tensions in Juvenile Corrections
2. The Setting
3. Mixed Messages: “Therapy Speak” in a Correctional Milieu
4. “Take It Like a Man”: Masculinities, Treatment, and Crime
5. “Jumping through Hoops”: Identity, Self-Preservation, and Change
6. On the Outs
7. Rehabilitating Rehabilitation: What We Learned from Unit C
Appendix
References
Index