hkeogh13 's review for:

The Women's House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison by Hugh Ryan

4.0

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I found this in NYC & was intrigued. I’ve always been interested in ethical ambiguities around crime & punishment, & the intersection here with queerness & feminism struck me.

This book is a scathing review of the modern industrial incarceration phenomenon, using the history of one building to crack into the way that power structures have traditionally institutionalised certain populations. Looking at behaviours which were seen as bohemian for some, and morally corrupt for others, as well as actions borne of desperation, Ryan makes a real statement about what’s wrong with our approach to crime.

I was struck by a lot of these stories! It’s a privilege to read stories Ryan dredged up from documentation, stories which could’ve otherwise been lost & buried.

I will keep thinking about: