Jean Marie Christenson's mastery of documentary journalism shines through in this compelling collection of interviews, from the world behind prison bars, a world that the large majority of Americans do their best to deny, ignore and wish away. The great conundrums of the topic are portrayed, including: (1) the "prison industry", which employs tens of thousands of Americans to keep caged millions of other Americans, at huge financial expense to American society; (2)human tales: 1st-person interviews of a Governor, prison heads, prison guards, and, most of all, prisoners. Reading the book refreshes one's respect for the enormity of the topic. American governments, particularly our local governments, must devote immense, ever-growing sums of money to keep law-breakers separated from polite society... so much money (taxes) that insufficient tax resources are left for the many positive functions of local government: eduction, public health, social services... so much money (taxes) is required to cage people (consistent with all the criminal laws which we insist our lawmakers pass), the weight of the resulting tax burdens lead to tax revolts, in which society cuts off its nose to spite its face. Christenson's book comes from her heart and her own life-experiences... and that is obvious in reading her work. A passionate work of documentary journalism, about vital issues facing society which are manifestly unsolved, and cry out for solution.
