
The Modern Prison Paradox
Politics, Punishment, and Social Community
Amy E. Lerman(Author)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 19. August 2013
Book
Hardback
308 pages
978-1-107-04145-5 (ISBN)
Description
In The Modern Prison Paradox, Amy E. Lerman examines the shift from rehabilitation to punitivism that has taken place in the politics and practice of American corrections. She argues that this punitive turn has had profoundly negative consequences for both crime control and American community life. Professor Lerman's research shows that spending time in America's increasingly violent and castigatory prisons strengthens inmates' criminal networks and fosters attitudes that increase the likelihood of criminal activity following parole. Additionally, Professor Lerman assesses whether America's more punitive prisons similarly shape the social attitudes and behaviors of correctional staff. Her analysis reveals that working in more punitive prisons causes correctional officers to develop an 'us against them' mentality while on the job, and that the stress and wariness officers acquire at work carries over into their personal lives, straining relationships with partners, children, and friends.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Illustrations
3 Maps; 1 Halftones, unspecified; 30 Line drawings, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
605 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-107-04145-5 (9781107041455)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2013
1st Edition
Cambridge University Press
€26.49
Available for download

Book
08/2013
Cambridge University Press
€41.70
Shipment within 15-20 days

E-Book
08/2013
Cambridge University Press
€21.99
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Person
Amy E. Lerman is Assistant Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University. She has served as Vice President of Policy Studies for the political consulting firm Attention America, worked as a freelance speechwriter for members of the US Congress, and been a research consultant of the Prison University Project and faculty of the college program at San Quentin State Prison.
Content
1. The modern prison paradox; 2. Symbolic politics, crime control, and the punitive team; 3. Public policy, punishment, and the creation of fractured community; 4. The culture and consequence of prison institutions: the case of California; 5. The social effects of incarceration; 6. The social effects of prison work; 7. From individuals to communities; 8. Criminal justice, community, the road to reform; 9. Epilogue (or: how I went to Berkeley and wound up in prison).