Criminal Justice Review DOI: 10.1177/0734016808324184 Criminal Justice Review 2009; 34 Book Review: Reese, R. (2006). Prison Race. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press. X, 240 pp Reviewed by Mark A. Winton

Dr. Renford Reese is a professor of political science and director of the Colorful Flags Program at Cal Poly Pomona University. He has also written Leadership in the LAPD:Walking the Tightrope and American Paradox: Young Black Men. Reese has provided a clear and concise overview of the United States prison system and its deleterious outcomes for African Americans. This book is written for both the public and policy makers but could be used in undergraduate courses as supplemental reading.

The book consists of an introduction, eight chapters, and three appendices. In the introduction, Reese proposes to answer two major questions, why have lawmakers embraced counterproductive criminal justice policies? What have been the consequences of these policies? (p. 3). To answer these questions, Reese uses surveys, interviews with criminal justice professionals and current and former inmates, professional literature and newspapers, crime statistics, and prison visits.

In the first chapter, Reese explicates how criminal justice system policy has had a negative effect on African Americans through gross inequalities. Social justice and critical race theory are discussed. Reese identifies the failure of policies, such as three strikes laws and the focus on punishment over rehabilitation.

Chapter 2 is a historical analysis of criminal justice policies related to race and inequality. Through case study analysis, Reese provides compelling arguments that the criminal justice system is racially biased. For example, African Americans are sentenced longer than Whites for similar crimes. The chapter concludes with a table of incarceration rates by race for each state.

Chapter 3 contains a case study of Michael “Quake” Fisher, an inmate at Centinela State Prison in California. He analyzes the inmate–guard relationships, violence and gangs, self-improvement, psychological issues, family issues, and inmate–female relationships. This analysis effectively brings the experience of the inmate into the text by allowing the inmate to express his thoughts and feelings in his own words.

Chapter 4 provides details of the challenges that former felons face. Reese demonstrates how job discrimination of former African American inmates occurs more often than for former White inmates. Inmate survey results are presented that focus on prison life and prisoners’ plans for the future. Reese then presents his idea that the prison system is set up to be a revolving door. Laws that may be unfavorable to the former inmate are presented (e.g., driver’s license privileges and voting rights). The last section focuses on recidivism and the problem of returning former inmates to prison for minor technical violations. The former inmate is put into a double bind situation (e.g., requiring the payment of child support while unemployed). The importance of education and employment are emphasized as keys to preventing recidivism.

Chapter 5 is a discussion of the irrational and harmful nature of the three strikes laws. In addition, the outcomes of the war on drugs and the sentence disparity debate for powder and crack cocaine are described. Minimum mandatory sentences and trying adolescents as adults are two major problems facing the criminal justice system that not only prove costly to taxpayers, but also reduce the likelihood of rehabilitation. The chapter includes a brief description of the benefits of drug courts.

Chapter 6 contains a case study of the Angola prison in Louisiana and describes the human rights violations that occur on a daily basis. The problems of prison rape, prison overcrowding, and prison corruption are presented as current social problems facing the criminal justice system.

Chapter 7 addresses the high costs of corporate crime that is often hidden from the public view. Examples include toxic waste dumping, sale of dangerous foods and products, savings and loan scandals, and investment fraud. A prison for corporate criminals is described.

Chapter 8 concludes the text with an analysis of the business of prisons. Corrections officer unions are able to encourage policies that benefit the officers but may be detrimental to the inmates. The political and economic nature of the prison business within society is addressed. For example, building and maintaining prisons can be a source of income for communities. The privatization of prisons is also discussed. Reese points out that the for-profit prison is embedded in the dilemma of providing inmate services and making a profit. The exploitation of prisoners by the system and other corporations is presented. The appendices contain a survey focused on attitudes toward corrections, an outline of a rehabilitation program, and inmate poetry and song lyrics.

Reese has written an excellent book geared toward policy makers and concerned citizens. The nontechnical approach is appropriate for his intended audience. His insights should leave the reader very concerned about the state of our correctional system. Reese provides evidence of a prison system that discriminates, fails to rehabilitate, encourages organizational corruption, exploits inmates and their families, devastates minority communities, encourages recidivism, and wastes taxpayers’ money. I found this text to be a compelling and captivating examination of the current problems of our prison system. Reese shows how simple policy fails when trying to address complex social problems. The importance of job training, education, maintenance of healthy relationships with family, and acceptance into the community upon release are emphasized as important factors in reducing recidivism. Although critical of the current prison system, future changes are discussed throughout the text.

Mark A. Winton University of Central Florida, Orlando