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maludee 's review for:
The author went undercover to work at Winn, a private prison in Louisiana for four months. He brought in recording equipment and hidden cameras, so was able to directly quote his colleagues, inmates, and bosses for the most part. There were so many moments in this book that were completely jaw dropping.
In between the segments about Bauer's experience in the prison, there's also a good overview of the history of prisons and especially private prisons in America that is well-researched and adds important context to the story.
I also didn't realize before starting this book that Bauer was one of the three Americans held in Iran for two years after getting caught hiking too close to the Iraq / Iran border. That added an extra layer to the story because Bauer had first-hand experience being imprisoned, and so was able to empathize with the inmates in a way that someone without that experience wouldn't have been able to. On top of the insanity he was observing in the prison, there was also a layer of tension as he struggled to balance the different components of himself - the prison guard, the undercover reporter, and the former inmate.
In between the segments about Bauer's experience in the prison, there's also a good overview of the history of prisons and especially private prisons in America that is well-researched and adds important context to the story.
I also didn't realize before starting this book that Bauer was one of the three Americans held in Iran for two years after getting caught hiking too close to the Iraq / Iran border. That added an extra layer to the story because Bauer had first-hand experience being imprisoned, and so was able to empathize with the inmates in a way that someone without that experience wouldn't have been able to. On top of the insanity he was observing in the prison, there was also a layer of tension as he struggled to balance the different components of himself - the prison guard, the undercover reporter, and the former inmate.