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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
This is a piece of privileged, white savior drivel that doesn't contain a single original thought. The people she goes to "help" around the world are confused by her motives, but I'm crystal clear: she's done some good work in the US, and now it's her imperative to impose those colonized ideas on the rest of the world.
The author, Baz Dreisinger, is an instructor who teaches incarcerated students in New York. During a sabbatical, she traveled the world to compare foreign prisons and teach some of their inmates. I learned so much about crime in other countries. I don't know what I was expecting but there were more similarities than differences. Remorse and impact on families are not divided by borders. What was different was how countries dole out sentencing.
I admire the author's bravery for entering each of the prisons. Watching "Lockup" on MSNBC is intriguing. Yet, if I was asked to do the reporting in real time, I do not think I would have the gumption. I appreciate writers like Baz Dreisinger who values education enough to share it with the world.
I admire the author's bravery for entering each of the prisons. Watching "Lockup" on MSNBC is intriguing. Yet, if I was asked to do the reporting in real time, I do not think I would have the gumption. I appreciate writers like Baz Dreisinger who values education enough to share it with the world.
This book is about the U.S. criminal justice system, in how it compares to criminal justice systems around the world. This book is broken down into nine chapters, each chapter describes a specific country's criminal justice system. This book delves into the history behind the U.S. criminal justice system, as well as the countries that are highlighted in this book. It talks about the author's journey in finding answers to questions that were haunting the author's mind.
I really enjoyed this book. It was an extremely interesting and eye-opening subject. I am very satisfied that the author chose to write about prisons in the way that she did. Hope for a better system was alive throughout the book, no matter how gloomy things seemed. Actually the hopeful and positive attitude of this book is what made it so good. I think the author chose a well-rounded group of countries to discuss, from Africa to Australia to Norway to Brazil. Each country had a different and sometimes similar attitudes in how they treat/punish citizens who break a law. There were personal stories narrated throughout the book. It was a great balance of personal stories and facts, history and statistics well mixed in together. I really was pleased with the author's unbiased, nonjudgmental and open minded take on this subject. The author's compassion was very palpable throughout this book. I love books that are written from deep within the author's soul. Her compassion and nonjudgmental stance inspired me to do the same while reading this book.
Not only did this book discuss the different criminal justice systems around the world but presented solutions to the many issues in this system. So it doesn't just leave you hanging and saying to yourself okay great there are so many problems now how on earth is it going to be fixed? While good, logical solutions were presented, I am just not sure how realistic they are. I don't know, it is probably my fear that is stopping me from believing that things can change. They say after all how common it is to be afraid of change, and the only way to change is to overcome your fears. So for all of you who read this book, go into it prepared to face maybe some of your own fears.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Other Press, (the publisher) and Baz Dreisinger (the author) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Come and read my blog at http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com/
I really enjoyed this book. It was an extremely interesting and eye-opening subject. I am very satisfied that the author chose to write about prisons in the way that she did. Hope for a better system was alive throughout the book, no matter how gloomy things seemed. Actually the hopeful and positive attitude of this book is what made it so good. I think the author chose a well-rounded group of countries to discuss, from Africa to Australia to Norway to Brazil. Each country had a different and sometimes similar attitudes in how they treat/punish citizens who break a law. There were personal stories narrated throughout the book. It was a great balance of personal stories and facts, history and statistics well mixed in together. I really was pleased with the author's unbiased, nonjudgmental and open minded take on this subject. The author's compassion was very palpable throughout this book. I love books that are written from deep within the author's soul. Her compassion and nonjudgmental stance inspired me to do the same while reading this book.
Not only did this book discuss the different criminal justice systems around the world but presented solutions to the many issues in this system. So it doesn't just leave you hanging and saying to yourself okay great there are so many problems now how on earth is it going to be fixed? While good, logical solutions were presented, I am just not sure how realistic they are. I don't know, it is probably my fear that is stopping me from believing that things can change. They say after all how common it is to be afraid of change, and the only way to change is to overcome your fears. So for all of you who read this book, go into it prepared to face maybe some of your own fears.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Other Press, (the publisher) and Baz Dreisinger (the author) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Come and read my blog at http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com/
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This book made me angry - it was way too much privileged white women goes to spend a day in a prison in Jamaica and then philosophizes about the meaning of justice before going back home and telling us about how great the work she does is. Like yeah I learned some things, but this is a travel memoir that may have good intentions on showing the class and racial dynamics of the way the US prison system is exported around the world etc but the short visits and side discussions of herself and her opinions of the countries she visits just rubbed me the wrong way.
I really loved this book, and found it very compelling to learn about various prison systems around the world. After reading this I really found myself thinking about the penal system. (Read for Book Riot Live 2016)
Thought provoking and really made me question a lot of what I thought I believed about criminal justice and justice in general. Can't wait to see her at Book Riot Live!
This book envisions what reformative (as opposed to punitive) justice could look like through a look at prisons in other countries. It also shows how the US Prison System has been exported to other countries, much to the detriment of the people living there. Finally, it highlights how educational and creative programs can benefit imprisoned populations and there families as well as decrease recidivism rates. Very good book.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced