crothe77's review against another edition
5.0
Are Prisons Obsolete? is a well-written, well-researched dive into the American prison system, how it relates to intersectionality, and the effects it is having on the international community. Angela Y Davis clearly presents her arguments and backs them up with research while also offering alternatives to get readers thinking more about whether or not we really do need the prison industrial complex as well as exploring it's racist origins.
phito's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not even going to pretend this is a review. This is more me working through what I found to be most insightful about this book.
I think Angela Davis does exceptional work drawing the line from chattel slavery to the U.S. prison system. There are so many clear examples of how incarceration was codified to replace slavery as an institution, and it's quite jarring to read. I was aware of profit motives for the PIC, but I can't remember seeing it broken down this explicitly.
She also breaks down the way gender structures the prison system, and the importance of not marginalizing what women deal with in the prison system. As with the section on slavery and civil rights, this section on gender demonstrates how our society criminalizes not adhering to "social norms."
And that's the main takeaway for me in this book: that oppressed peoples are overly represented in the prison system by design. This means that people are criminalized on the basis of race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexuality, disability, etc. Therefore, abolishing prisons and other carceral institutions can be viewed as a net positive, even without a new system of accountability in place for people that do harm. Prisons do harm to oppressed peoples, and ending that harm is justification enough.
I think Angela Davis does exceptional work drawing the line from chattel slavery to the U.S. prison system. There are so many clear examples of how incarceration was codified to replace slavery as an institution, and it's quite jarring to read. I was aware of profit motives for the PIC, but I can't remember seeing it broken down this explicitly.
She also breaks down the way gender structures the prison system, and the importance of not marginalizing what women deal with in the prison system. As with the section on slavery and civil rights, this section on gender demonstrates how our society criminalizes not adhering to "social norms."
And that's the main takeaway for me in this book: that oppressed peoples are overly represented in the prison system by design. This means that people are criminalized on the basis of race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexuality, disability, etc. Therefore, abolishing prisons and other carceral institutions can be viewed as a net positive, even without a new system of accountability in place for people that do harm. Prisons do harm to oppressed peoples, and ending that harm is justification enough.
alyssa_olaf's review against another edition
5.0
“Forget about reforms, it’s time to talk about abolition of prisons and jails in American society.” This is a must read — stomach-churning contents included. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook bcause the author herself, Angela Y. Davis narrates it. Davis speaks of the horrors of prison, America’s dependency on prison labor, and alternatives to incarcerating people. I learned so much!
butch_angel's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Are Prisons Obsolete? is a fantastic informational piece on a stance i’ve carried for a little while now, and constantly wish to educate myself more on. the concept of prison abolition is incredibly challenging for many people, even those who consider themselves pro prison reform, and I truly believe this book is a wonderful way to enlighten and educate yourself on the concept.
Angela Y. Davis does a wonderful job at explaining clearly, yet detailed, the ways in which the prison system is built on and enforces violent racism, misogyny, and barbaric acts against people at their most vulnerable. the descriptions of these human rights issues can be graphic- but I believe it is necessary for this point. I believe that shying away from gritty details only complicates matters and opinions, and I am very thankful that Angela did not do this.
All in all, if you advocate for prison abolition, or are interested in learning about the movement more, I highly suggest this book.
Angela Y. Davis does a wonderful job at explaining clearly, yet detailed, the ways in which the prison system is built on and enforces violent racism, misogyny, and barbaric acts against people at their most vulnerable. the descriptions of these human rights issues can be graphic- but I believe it is necessary for this point. I believe that shying away from gritty details only complicates matters and opinions, and I am very thankful that Angela did not do this.
All in all, if you advocate for prison abolition, or are interested in learning about the movement more, I highly suggest this book.
ts7's review against another edition
Went into the book as an abolitionist so the question/title of the book was already answered in the affirmative. I thought I would be told what I already knew - but I definitely learned a lot more about the history of prison, how prison was already a reform in itself - which proved the point why prisons need to be abolished, and lastly the development of how we punish along with why the current mainstream modes championed by the US don't work.
faith_the_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a great introduction to the idea of prison abolition. It's short and Davis gives a good overview of the history of the movement and the general reasons why proponents support it. It's a good primer.