The 'Million Dollar Inmate'

Reviews / Votes

The 'Million Dollar Inmate' makes a significant contribution to the field. The main argument of this well-written and engaging book is clear and compelling: We are putting too many nonviolent offenders in prison for too long under destructive conditions that breed antisocial conduct both in prison and when offenders return to the community. We are spending a lot of money, expending and jeopardizing social capital, and getting little or nothing of a positive, tangible nature in return. This thoughtful and thought-provoking book argues persuasively for alternative sanctions that are less costly and destructive for the offender, his loved ones, and society at large. -- Robert Johnson, Professor of Justice, Law and Criminology, American University Ahn-Redding covers a comprehensive array of topics and subtopics. . . The book has a number of benefits. The undergraduate looking for topics to synthesize will find ample sources in the 30 pages of bibliography. Graduate students and seasoned researchers will also find material to further expound and explore. * Corrections Today, December 2008 * The 'Million Dollar Inmate' presents a sobering expose of the costs involved in this nation's over-reliance on prison as a punishment for non-violent criminal offenders. Ahn-Redding has utilized a myriad of sources to show that prison is neither effective nor cost-efficient as a deterrent to crime. The book sheds light on all the costs of imprisonment, not just brick-and-mortar and personnel costs, but the collateral and hidden costs of incarcerating over two million people who are, because of their imprisonment, unable to contribute to the economic productivity of their neighborhood, or meet their responsibilities as mothers and fathers, leading to the next generations of 'million dollar inmates.' -- Joycelyn Pollock, Texas State University-San Marcos