Understanding Mass Incarceration: A People's Guide to the Key Civil Rights Struggle of Our Time

by James Kilgore

A brilliant overview of America’s defining human rights crisis and a “much-needed introduction to the racial, political, and economic dimensions of mass incarceration” (Michelle Alexander)

Understanding Mass Incarceration offers the first comprehensive overview of the incarceration apparatus put in place by the world’s largest the United States.

Drawing on a growing body of academic and professional work, Understanding Mass Incarceration describes in plain English the many competing theories of criminal justice—from rehabilitation to retribution, from restorative justice to justice reinvestment. In a lively and accessible style, author James Kilgore illuminates the difference between prisons and jails, probation and parole, laying out key concepts and policies such as the War on Drugs, broken windows policing, three-strikes sentencing, the school-to-prison pipeline, recidivism, and prison privatization. Informed by the crucial lenses of race and gender, he addresses issues typically omitted from the the rapidly increasing incarceration of women, Latinos, and transgender people; the growing imprisonment of immigrants; and the devastating impact of mass incarceration on communities.

Both field guide and primer, Understanding Mass Incarceration is an essential resource for those engaged in criminal justice activism as well as those new to the subject.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Social Justice, Race, Crime, Justice

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2015

Reviews

[Lobstergirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚫ Kilgore quotes Ronald Reagan, from a speech on crime to Chiefs of Police in 1981:

"... for all our science and sophistication, for all of our justified pride in intellectual accomplishment, we must never forget the jungle is always there waiting to take us over. Only our deep moral values and our strong social institutions can hold back that jungle and restrain the darker impulses of human nature."

And later:

"Again, I commend you for manning the thin blue line that holds back a jungle which threatens to reclaim this clearing we call civilization. No bands play when a cop is shooting it out in a dark alley."

Maybe you caught the racial dog whistles. I'm curious to know who wrote that speech.


⚫ In 2007 a board game called Don't Drop the Soap went on the market. It was set in prison and penalized "players who drop the soap while showering." This lighthearted treatment of rape was created by John Sebelius, son of Obama's HHS head Kathleen Sebelius, as a "class project at the Rhode Island School of Design" (wikipedia).

[Alan Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to mass incarceration. A good overview, a few stories, and enough facts and figures so you are armed with facts, but not so many to bog down the narrative.

Kilgore also does a great job exploring the causes of the growth of the system, deconstructing the term "Prison Industrial Complex," and exploring alternatives, including restorative justice, transformative justice, and abolition.

Final note: don't be put off by the fact that it took me a month to finish this book. During that month I visited 6 prisons, and reading about prisons was not exactly the best way to unwind at the end of a long, emotionally draining day of ..... visiting prisons. It is a good, quick read.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for this book! I am a convicted felon myself (nonviolent drug possession) and my conviction has literally turned my life upside down. This book included so much concise information, with real life examples, and up to date statistics. Our country would be one hell of a place if sunk as much money into investing people's futures as we put into locking folks up. Continuously putting profits before people will be the end of us.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have yet to read a single book that was labeled as a "people's guide" or a "people's history" that was ever anything other than leftist Maoist refuse.  This book is no different.  The author himself is an ex-con and a leftist, and of course he is horribly biased.  He is so biased that he makes ordinary garden variety moderate Republicans seem like the second coming of antebellum fire-eating slaveowners or racist Jim Crow supporters, and fills this book with photos of various misguided leftist protesters and acts as if these various leftists are some kind of unstoppable mass movement that will end America's system of imprisonment which, admittedly, has a disproportionately heavy hand on certain aspects of our criminal class (which the author is a fitting representative of in several respects) while being correspondingly gentle with other parts of it.  Yet the author does not argue for justice in terms of how laws are dealt with, which would be an appropriate response, but rather seeks to overturn the existing system in favor of one which would be biased towards the author and others of his ilk, which is not an idiot parade I have any intention of joining.

This book is about 200 pages long and is divided into five parts.  After a short introduction where the author whines about the hostility that those right-of-center have shown to him (which he probably has deserved if this book is a representative sample of his rhetoric and approach), the author writes three chapters on the basics of mass incarceration (I), including a snapshot of the system (1), how popular support was obtained for enlarging the prison system (2), and the rise of mass incarceration (3) as a means of getting rid of the criminal class for good.  After that there are five chapters that show some of the faces of tough on crime (II), namely the war on drugs (4), hostility to illegal immigration (5), the death of the ideal of rehabilitation (6), jail as the local face of mass incarceration (7), and the school-to-prison pipeline (8).  After that there is a suitably intersectionist approach to gender (III) with a look at the folks left behind (9) and women's prisons (10).  There are chapters on private enterprise's relationship with prison (IV), such as private prisons (11), and the profit some make off of prison (12).  Finally, the book ends with the author's hope of ending mass incarceration (V), namely changing a mind-set about crime (13) as well as the author's desire to organize to end mass imprisonment (14).

Ultimately, the author and I have some major disagreements when it comes to crime and punishment, although admittedly I am no particular fan of prison as a solution to crime, since my beliefs are more in line with biblical ideals of restitution and ultimate reconciliation where debts are paid not to society but to victims and their families and where once the debt is paid the offender has the chance to be restored to full freedom without having the past weigh around his (or her) neck like a millstone.  Yet the author is not content merely to seek reconciliation for those who have done crime and paid time, but rather shows a high degree of resentment and hostility to any who would desire to protect society as much as possible from those who show a hostility to the rule of law, whether they do not respect international borders or legal ones.  And it is that which accounts for my own intense hostility to this book as a whole, in that the author could have made a great case had he done so in a mild and balanced fashion, but instead all he has to offer is militant leftism.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A layperson's manual on mass incarceration in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Did you ever wish you could just throw a book at people so you wouldn't have to explain the same darned thing 100 times? Conversely, have you ever wished there was just one book that would help you get up to speed on a controversial issue? If the issue is prison reform, this is your book. Kilgore delivers a solid overview of how our prison system got to be the way it is, how mass incarceration affects different groups of people, and what options different groups of people are exploring for making things better/different.

Kilgore's history is comprehensive and intersectional, with extensive chapter notes included at the end. Each chapter begins with a photo of activists protesting some injustice related to mass incarceration, putting human faces on the issue. The reading level is perfect for high school seniors through the average adult reader, and is clear and concise without watering down the key points. A great pick for personal improvement, community study groups, AP history classes, and justice workers of all backgrounds.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A robustly informative book that explains the causes of mass incarceration in America and how the principles of mass incarceration have extended into public schools and subsumed immigration policy. Kilgore "names names" of those who benefit from the perpetuation of this system. Even though this wasn't my first book about incarceration, some facts (about how corporations exploit people serving time; how the courts extort endless fees from people and create debtors' prisons) still took my breath away. The final sections of the book present alternatives for seeking justice and the potential conflicts between activists who want to improve conditions for people in prison now and those who want to abolish prison once and for all.

The book is well-designed, with many sidebars to break up the emotionally heavy or data intensive content. If a revised edition is ever released, I'd appreciate more analysis of women's, LGBT, and genderqueer experiences of incarceration. (There are sections on these groups, but that text can be deepened/amplified.)

[Maddie Dresen]

A good basis of info

[Marnie Lansdown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, written by a former prison inmate, is a good overall discussion of the reasons that prison populations have jumped so much in the last thirty years. It is well-researched and documented, with plenty of facts, figures, and study findings, but the author does a good job of reminding the reader of the real human costs of mass incarceration as well.

[Emily Magnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really does feel like a must read. It gave a deep-dive into all things mass incarceration and the different angles of what is happening behind the scenes. Kilgore gave different perspectives, in-depth explanations, side-bar commentary and an over-all perspective that felt digestible and necessary. I truly felt like a student taking notes from a professor. The book laid out the basic foundations of the system of mass incarceration and then zoomed into details like the War on Drugs, gendered threads when it comes to punishment, profiting of private prisons and tangible reforms/implementations to the growing issue that is mass incarceration. I walked away from this book shocked by how little I knew and a little daunted by all of the avenues that need to be visited in order to alleviate the unbalanced scale.

There were far too many statistics and quotes to write down, so I'll just haller at y'all to say read this book and take the deep-dive in!!!

Something I did LOVE was Kilgores use and reverence of language. At the very beginning he said "I have mace every effort to avoid the use of stigmatizing language. Words such as convict, inmate, felon, probationer, and parolee do not appear in this text. Neither do I refer to anyone as an ex-offender, an ex-prisoner, or an ex-anything. Instead, I use terms that humanize: formerly incarcerated person, people with sex offense convictions, individuals on parole, et cetera. In making this choice, I salute the late Eddie Ellis, who reminded us that 'words are of fundamental importance to the process of public opinion formulation, positive media images, effective social service delivery and, most importantly, progressive policy change.'"

What a reminder of the power of our words. May we continue to learn and uncover and see our fault in the systems we have created. May we uplift and humanize and believe in restoration/rehabilitation/transformation instead of retribution.

[Tibby]

I know of James Kilgore through his work around e-Carceration but decided to give this book a whirl first. I was surprised to find it dates back almost ten years to 2014. I would be curious to see an updated version of the book that took into account both the Trump presidency and the 2020 uprisings plus the COVID pandemic. While this book was squarely in the time of The 13th and The New Jim Crow, prison abolition has gotten a lot more traction in the intervening years and more people are aware of mass incarceration as an issue.

That said, this is still a really standout overview of mass incarceration. Kilgore covers all the bases very clearly from private prisons to the War on Drugs to resistance movements to women's prisons to immigration detention to those left behind to pick up the pieces in the community. It's comprehensive without being overwhelming. I also think it's important to note that Kilgore in a formerly incarcerated person and has first hand experience with the system. He doesn't bring that up, but I think it really comes through in how he holds the humanity of people who are incarcerated.

Because they were on the shelf next to each other at the library I ended up reading this in tandem with Victoria Law's "Prisons Make Us Safer" and 20 Other Myths About Mass Incarceration and it was a really great book pairing. Together you can get a really comprehensive (and up-to-date) look at the issue of mass incarceration plus the reasons prisons need to be abolished. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a solid coverage of what mass incarceration is and how it's impacting our world.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great information and resources (e.g. I’ve read a lot of the books he cites and they’re really fantastic imo). It’s very accessible; Kilgore does a great job of breaking down terminology of the criminal legal system. Also really enjoy the chapter about all the different ways that can lead to ending mass incarceration that stem beyond just being aware that the problem exists. Def recommend this for anyone wanting to learn about, brush up on or just have more resources about the key components and history of U.S. mass incarceration.

[Emily Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 6 stars if I could. It was concise, well written, and got the points across without taking 20+ pages per chapter to do so.
It outlined multiple perspectives about multiple issues, which allows every reader to develop their own opinions on a very serious issue. I would recommend “Understanding Mass Incarceration” to everyone I know, in hopes that they can educate themselves through this book.

[Sarah Gunter]

One important through-line: American individualism has been politically weaponized over the past half century in order to philosophically change how we think about crime. Once a social evil, a symptom of poverty, now the reflection of an individual's morality. As a result, the legislation and structure of our justice system has changed so the circumstances of a crime are all but irrelevant. Thank you Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, i hate ur guts.

[David02139 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good survey of the topics related to Mass Incarceration. The author organizes the issues in a way that makes sense and evolves from initial issues and factors to later chapters on possible solutions and contrasting reform with abolition. What was as great about this book is the abundance of quotes, vignettes and facts and statistics throughout, also the presentation of different viewpoints.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super informative, easy to read, and comprehensive. Read this as one of the five #literatureforjustice books the national book foundation put together and I'm so glad I did. A terrific companion to the new Jim crow.

[KIERAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye-opening look at how awful the U.S. prison system is. Everyone remotely interested in social justice NEEDS to read this book, PERIOD.
It's a hard read, granted, but a necessary one.

[Leeny]

In an easy to read book, this author depicts mass incarceration in the US and argues that it must be eliminated. Well documented, the author proposes strategies for doing just that. He wears no rose-tinted glasses yet remains hopeful for improvement.

[hannah akers · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good informative guide to mass incarceration. like genuinely does exactly what it says it’ll do. tbh i kind of already know a lot about this topic via college and other reading but he still hit me with some new info even so good on him.

[Queenie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An approachable way to learn about mass incarceration, this should be required reading so people understand the implications of the various layers of the American prison system.

[Sally Kenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great introduction to a wide range of issues and social movement activities with great references.

[Robin Case · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic book on some aspects of the criminal justice system. I didn't learn anything new.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

concise overview of a complex issue

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good introduction to the issue of mass incarceration, and includes sections on everything from private prisons, the school-to-prison pipeline, to chapters on the folks left behind, and women's prisons. It is very comprehensive in the range of issues it touches on, and even for someone who took a whole class on the prison industrial complex, this book still had things for me to learn. Some parts were repeating a lot of things I knew, but some parts weren't. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the issue of mass incarceration, or if you already consider yourself well-educated and want a good intro text to be able to share with people. If you don't believe me, Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, also called it "an excellent, much-needed introduction to the racial, political, and economic dimensions of mass incarceration, as well as a brilliant overview of the competing schools of thought regarding what must be done to end it." (her blurb is on the back of the book). So go read this now!

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three Strikes and You're Out ballot measure was approved by 72 percent in California in 1994 and made a sentence of twenty-five years to live mandatory for anyone convicted of a felony who had two prior convictions for violent offenses.

A second strike mandated doubling the normal sentence for someone convicted of a second crime of violence.

In the first decade, California sentenced more than 4000 people under three strikes and 35,000 received double sentences as a result of the second strike.

Black defendants convicted of harming white victims suffer harsher penalties than Blacks who commit crimes against other Blacks or white defendants who harm whites.

From 1980 to 2005, drug arrests tripled, leading to enormous increases in the prison population. By 2000, 500,000 people were behind bars for drug related offences. More than 80% of all drug arrests were for possessions, half of which were for marijuana.

Reforms to laws, such as the removal of mandatory minimum sentences contributes to a decline in drug arrests.

[C.S. Malerich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the recent history of mass incarceration in the U.S., in easily digestible chapters and sections, with lots of helpful charts and stats. I highly recommend it as a companion to Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow.

[Albert Hong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid, helpful overview of the main issues surrounding mass incarceration. Particularly helpful in understanding three main paradigms that have motivated mass incarceration: philosophical, economic, and racial.

also a helpful overview of differing expressions of restorative justice.

[Liz Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

To understand the realities of being a person of color in America (primarily the young black man) one needs to look over the history of racism in this country. This book takes us through

[Stephanie Borges Folarin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This text is a collection of many voices and opinions regarding mass incarceration. If you would like to begin your study of this horrific epidemic start here.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's the difference between prison and jail? Who makes money from prisoners and how? What laws have affected our prison population? The nuts and bolts of incarceration in America.

[Elizabeth Bostelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great introduction to the topic but it was a lot of information to absorb! I will definitely read this again and make sure I got everything!