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theythemsam's review against another edition
5.0
I learned so much from this book omg. “There is no American dream with no American massacre” said by the author and “The opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is justice” by Bryan Stevenson are quotes that I liked and felt deeply with in the book. Also fuck prisons fr and the American “justice” system
sperigo's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Incredible read. I’m shocked I don’t hear more about this book. It should be required reading.
disabledbookdragon's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.75
paulataua's review against another edition
4.0
You have to fully support any book that outlines the horrors of aspects of social policy even when they present little that surprises. It is an important read. Montross exposes the ease with which the mentally ill can find themselves thrust into the penal system and the atrocious conditions and treatment that they, and other prisoners, are subjected to. Once exposed the author moves on to suggest alternative and more enlightened approaches, leaning heavily on examples from Scandinavia. All very admirable! Unfortunately, the one thing that really did hit home for me was the discussion of Nutraloaf, an apparently foul tasting mess that meets dietary requirements and is often given to inmates in the US who misbehave. I couldn’t help thinking how the book is talking of enlightening people about more humane ways of treating inmates when those presently responsible for and involved in prisons are really not the least bit interested in being humane. Please read!
kmrose's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Everyone in America should read this. I’ve known that our justice system was a problem, but to hear about the psychology behind how we treat imprisoned people was so educational. I especially loved the insight into Norway’s prison system and how they approach dealing with crimes as well. Now how do we fix it?
taylorthiets's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
anasofiapereira14's review against another edition
Such an interesting and thought-provoking non-fiction. I learned a lot from this book. Just Mercy is one of my favorite books of all time and Waiting for an Echo had a very similar approach to such important topics such as incarceration, life in prisons in America, justice, segregation, etc. I think everyone should read this type of books at least once.
sarahaustinf's review against another edition
5.0
Dr. Montross writes about the American Prison system in a profoundly honest way, casting a humanizing light on the men and women we strip of the most basic needs: safety and connection to others. The book reveals how our system in practice does exactly the opposite of its stated purposes; rather than rehabilitation and safety, our system leads to deterioration of the spirit and perilous conditions for those contained in the prison, those who work in the prison, and the communities that the prisoners come from.
The ugly truths we all know, at least on a subconscious level, about mental health in prisons, the torturous effects of isolation, and the true intent of vengeance are revealed through a combination of compelling anecdotes, statistics, and the author's own musings. Montross leaves the readers feeling saddened, but hopeful, by presenting us with a working model of prisons in other countries, that could lead us back into the light. If we want to improve our society, we must address the inequalities that lead people to prison in the first place and address the broken system that leaves prisoners ill-prepared for a life on the outside.
The ugly truths we all know, at least on a subconscious level, about mental health in prisons, the torturous effects of isolation, and the true intent of vengeance are revealed through a combination of compelling anecdotes, statistics, and the author's own musings. Montross leaves the readers feeling saddened, but hopeful, by presenting us with a working model of prisons in other countries, that could lead us back into the light. If we want to improve our society, we must address the inequalities that lead people to prison in the first place and address the broken system that leaves prisoners ill-prepared for a life on the outside.