Customer Reviews

The Big House: Life Inside a Supermax Security Prison

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

From John Howard Prin, author of STOLEN HOURS: Breaking Free From Secret Addictions, Syren Books 2004

Jim Bruton's THE BIG HOUSE gives readers an eyeful about prison behavior in a supermax security facility. It's a treat for anyone who has ever wondered what life must be like inside the walls of a tiny cell, a noisy cellblock, a razor-wired prison yard, or the much-feared "hole."

Not only does Bruton, a retired warden of 35 years in the field of corrections, portray the kinds of criminal personalities who damage their quarters or harass other inmates (including the daily power struggles and endless game-playing for control), he also tells of humorous incidents and some tender moments that show the humane sides of both offenders and officers alike.

While dozens of remarkable details sprinkle his stories, along with vivid photos, it's his philosophy of rehabilitation that rises to the fore. Bruton argues that dignified, respectful treatment - even for problematic inmates - creates a safer environment for all. And not only while incarcerated. Because 95 percent of prisoners are eventually released, Bruton's focus emphasizes the importance of preparing prisoners to live a productive lifestyle on the outside. This book informs, intrigues, and instills wise insights.

Not written by a "writer", this non-fiction works only because the topic and stories were interesting. My complaint is that the stories were told in a fashion that was too choppy and disconnected.

In any case, for someone interested in some of the details of prison life this book does hold some interest and I recommend it it on that level. For a deeper look, or a more scholarly take, you'll have to look elsewhere.

I did find many of the short takes on interactions between the writer (a warden) and some of the prisoners to be intertaining reading.

Where was near the end a rather lame arguement against the death penalty, I say lame because it wasn't that there can't be strong arguements against the death penalty, its just that the arguements for it need to be properly presented if one is going to argue against them (or else you're tearing down a strawman).

The most important point however was made, and made well, and that was that prisoners in the system need to be treated with a certain amount of humanity and respect, or else the system becomes dangerous, makes problems worse and doesn't prepare men for eventual release. For this part of the book I give the author credit and recommend that it be read.

James Bruton was an enlightened Warden; someone who believed in the dignity of prisoners and in giving them self-respect. He argues, in the stories he tells about life in a supermax prison, that 95% of all prisoners get paroled at some point and that society has an interest in seeing that parolees re-enter the streets well-adjusted and not angry.
His anecdotes about older lifers, and how they typically "run" prisons (through long-term stays in key jobs), about what causes lockdowns, and the experiences of guards ring true. [...].
This is not a leering, notorious book; rather it is an insightful report of the author's experiences. Highly recommended.

This is a very compelling story of the career path of someone in the penal system. It has several good accounts and some characters are pretty well defined, however, it reads like a childrens' book.

The Big House provides a graphically detailed and insightful look at "life inside a supermax security prison" just like the cover says.

I was a little disappointed however, that Warden James Bruton seemed to spend more time patting himself on the back than actually writing about what we bought the book to read. He seemed to spend entirely too much time describing how problems of other prisons don't exist at HIS prison, and how well he cleaned up the place.

That is great, and I am sure there are many lessons there for other wardens or correctional officials but that is not what I was interested in reading. I wish he had spent more detail (and pages) focusing on the life and experiences of the inmates and less on what a great job he did.

I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in an "inside look" at a supermax prison, but there are others I would suggest reading first.

As someone who has conducted psychiatric assessments in California's supermax, Level IV (of IV) prisons, of inmates with mental health disorders preparing to parole, I was seriously underwhelmed by this minimilistic, even meager portrayal of "life" on the inside. If you want "real life," go to http://oig.ca.gov/ and download the report of the murder of Corrections Officer Manuel Gonzalez (right-hand column). Now that is "life" in the big house. Games, maipulations, yeah, yeah. Bruton is wise enough not to disclose the reality. For that, read R.D. Hare's "Without Conscience," and you'll wished you had skipped Bruton.

I grabbed the book on impulse, thinking it would be written from prisoners' perspective. Author James Bruton was the warden of a supermax prison. If you've never read anything about maximum security prisons, then this is a primer. If you've read other books then you already know most of what the warden has to say.

The book is a collection of stories of what happened during Bruton's reign. I gave it three stars, since it reads more like an after action report to his superiors. Bruton always uses just the right touch, knows when to bend a rule, show humanity or keeps the guards and prisoners safe. It comes away as very sanitized with no wrinkles.

Bruton is correct in his approach to running a prison - never show fear, keep guards trained, motivated and disciplined and you'll have fewer troubles. His observations are good for anyone who wants to see what happens in our judicial system after the sentences are carried out. Can you reform prisoners? Should they be locked up and throw away the key, what about the death penalty? Good for a rental from library or High School report.

If you've watched any of the prison documentaries on TV, then you can save yourself a lot of time by not reading this book. If you're just curious about prison life and are looking for an inside look at what goes on, then this book will educate and enlighten you.

The most troubling part of the book to me is the high regard that the author has for himself. I've lost track of how many times he pats himself on the back for the running the cleanest, safest, best organized, and best run prisons in the country. He takes shots at other states and other prisons and then holds himself up as the model warden who blends the right amount of supermax discipline with the knowledge of knowing when the convicts need a break.

It was interesting but at the same time I quickly tired of hearing just how terrific a warden the author was back in the day. He reminds of something I heard an old NBA basketball player say. "The older I get the better I was."

Pretty good. A fast read. Needs more details in some stories. Worth the $$ though.

the warden did a great job of detailing what prison life is like...sadly some people end up there and its taking the caring of other to maintain the security. danger and compassion. a very well written book. highly recommend.