States of Confinement: Policing, Detention, and Prisons [Hardcover]

Joy James (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0312217773 | ISBN-13: 978-0312217778

The United States has the highest incarceration and execution rate in the industrialized world: 70 percent of the nearly two million people incarcerated in prisons and immigration detention centers are people of color. States of Confinement uncovers the political, social, and economic biases in policing and punishment. The distinguished contributors--Angela Y. Davis, Manning Marable, Gary Marx, Robert Meeropol, Julie Su, and Judi Bari--discuss profiling and sentencing disparities in American society. They explose racial profiling and sentencing disparities that target African American and Latinos, the sexual exploitation of women in custody, racist and homophobic violence, the policing of Asian Americans and Arabs, the conditions of HIV-positive prisoners, and the use of the Grand Jury and police to undermine political activity.Statistics like these, and the often unsafe conditions under which people are imprisoned, make an analysis of incarceration urgent and timely. The distinguished authors of this collection use their diverse experiences and expertise to discuss troubling abuses of police powers in our society.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

James, a University of Colorado at Boulder ethnic studies professor, gathers 26 critical assessments of the "prison industrial complex" and "the rising abuse of police powers." The essays (many based on papers presented at a 1998 conference, "Unfinished Liberation: Policing, Detention and Prisons") address "Executions" (Robert Meeropol, Steven Hawkins, Daniel R. Williams); "Blacks and Criminal Justice" (Manning Marable, Angela Y. Davis, Mark Mauer, Salim Muwakkil, Adrien Wing); "Gender, Sexuality, and Confinement" (Joanne Belknap, Juanita Diaz-Cotto, Luana Ross, Alexandra Suh, Brenda Rodriguez, Annjanette Rosga); "Policing" (Larvester Gaither, Gabriel Torres, David A. Love, Eric Tang, Julie Su, Gary Marx); and "Political Repression and Resistance" (Margaret Ratner, Michael Ratner, Huessin Ibish, Jose Lopez, Donna Willmott, Judi Bari). Academics and activists share the conviction that "social myths and political demagoguery have joined with dehumanizing and often racist, heterosexist, and classist speech and practices . . . [to] demoniz[e] marginalized social sectors and . . . obscur[e] complex social realities." Some may find the authors' analysis over the top, but this challenge to conventional wisdom about the criminal justice system is needed. Mary Carroll

From Kirkus Reviews

In a hard-hitting survey of left-wing thought on the American system of policing and punishment, James (Ethnic Studies/Univ. of Colorado) presents 26 critical and radical perspectives of varying quality. Introducing essays on issues from capital punishment to the special problems confronting African-Americans, gays, and women in the prison system, and on the use of policing and imprisonment to suppress political dissent, James notes that the US has ``the highest incarceration and execution rate in the industrialized world.'' The authors in this collection leave no doubt why: class war, racism, sexism, and other reactionary isms. Though these essays are replete with statistics showing racial and other biases in policing and sentencing, primary sources sometimes aren't cited for startling statistics, such as one author's statement that criminal suspects in Arizona in 1996 were mostly white, while most people incarcerated there were black. Several contributors sound familiar rhetorical notes from the old and new left (``surplus value,'' ``prison-industrial complex,'' ``critical race feminism''). And some of the analyses, like Angela Y. Daviss analogy of the modern prison system with slavery, go over the top. Yet many of the contributions are persuasive and passionate. Robert Meeropol's haunting ``Testimony,'' part angry polemic, part sorrowful memoir of his parents Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, advances a well-reasoned and eloquent argument against the death penalty; Adrien K. Wing offers a sensitive study of black female gang members; Steven Hawkins protests against the execution of children; Margaret and Michael Ratner detail the abuses of the grand-jury system; and Larvester Gaither brings anti- black brutality shockingly to life. Not everybody will agree with everything herebut there's enough thoughtful analysis to make this collection worthwhile for anyone concerned about justice in America. -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (February 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312217773
• ISBN-13: 978-0312217778
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,942,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding collection!, February 5, 2000

By 

R. Mcbride "websmith" (San Francisco, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: States of Confinement: Policing, Detention, and Prisons (Hardcover)

Joy James has collected a great group of essays from engaged academics and thoughtful activists dealing with a wide range of issues related to the prison-industrial complex. The best way to convey the content is probably to list some of the essays: * Robbie Meeropol, "Testimony" (of a Rosenberg son) * Dan Williams, lawyer for Mumia, on the case * Manning Marable, "Black Radicalism & an Economy of Incarceration" * Angela Davis, "From Convict Lease System to Super-Max" * Adrien King, "Black Women & Gangs" * Luana Ross, "Imprisoned Notive Women & Importance of Native Tradition" * Alexandra Suh, "Military Prostitution in Asia & U.S." * Gabriel Torres & David Love, "Militarization of Police in U.S." * Gary Marx, "The New Surveillance" * Jose Lopez, "Political Incarceration" * Donna Willmott, "Time to Bring our Political Prisoners Home" * Judi Bari, "Earth First! & FBI" * and a dozen more

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cover Art, March 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: States of Confinement: Policing, Detention, and Prisons (Hardcover)

The reason I picked up States of Confinement was because of its cover art. The powerful front piece was amazing and it went hand and hand with the powerful essays contained in the book. I was curious and researched the artist at and was awed by the fact that he had spent 12 years in prison. Then I realized why he connected with States of Confinement