A review by znnys
Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis
4.0
I've been seeing prison abolition as a discussion lately and wanted to educate myself a bit more on the subject. In recent years I've already become fairly critical of how the modern prison system operates, and this book gives a thorough examination of how truly corrupt the system is. I knew some basic statistics, knew the role of systematic racism, had an understanding of why drug use and sex work should be decriminalized, and was familiar with the insidious nature of for-profit private prisons - this book expands on these topics and more in a meaty, well-researched, but concise and accessible manner.
Going into this, I was most interested in reading about what kind of alternatives may be offered. She does touch on how dismantling systems of injustice and racial discrimination, and decriminalizing drug use/sex work will do a large degree of good on its own, which is a very great point. However, when broaching the question of how to handle those who have violated the bodies of others, I found myself disappointed with her conclusion. She gives a fascinating example at the end as a means of defending her stance on reconciliation and restorative justice - fascinating and remarkable, but so unique that it doesn't entirely feel fair to use it as a flat answer to the general question being posed. Is the solution here truly for victims to be obligated to forgive and reconcile with people who have done irreparable damage to them? I would have been more satisfied if she just wrote "this is immensely complicated and we don't have all the answers yet, we just know the current system is failing us" rather than the vague hand wave we're given instead.
I think this is a great book for dipping into self-education on how truly corrupt the prison system is and why it's not working. However, if you are looking for a thorough account of possible alternatives to the prison system, I would look elsewhere.
Going into this, I was most interested in reading about what kind of alternatives may be offered. She does touch on how dismantling systems of injustice and racial discrimination, and decriminalizing drug use/sex work will do a large degree of good on its own, which is a very great point. However, when broaching the question of how to handle those who have violated the bodies of others, I found myself disappointed with her conclusion. She gives a fascinating example at the end as a means of defending her stance on reconciliation and restorative justice - fascinating and remarkable, but so unique that it doesn't entirely feel fair to use it as a flat answer to the general question being posed. Is the solution here truly for victims to be obligated to forgive and reconcile with people who have done irreparable damage to them? I would have been more satisfied if she just wrote "this is immensely complicated and we don't have all the answers yet, we just know the current system is failing us" rather than the vague hand wave we're given instead.
I think this is a great book for dipping into self-education on how truly corrupt the prison system is and why it's not working. However, if you are looking for a thorough account of possible alternatives to the prison system, I would look elsewhere.