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A review by sarahaustinf
Waiting for an Echo: The Madness of American Incarceration by Christine Montross
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.