Maya Schenwar is een auteur die zich diepgaand bezighoudt met de kritiek op het gevangenissysteem en de maatschappelijke impact ervan. Haar werk onderzoekt de tekortkomingen van opsluiting en stelt alternatieve benaderingen voor sociale problemen voor, met een focus op rechtvaardigheid en rehabilitatie. Door middel van haar schrijven probeert ze de complexe realiteiten van het gevangenisleven te demystificeren en te pleiten voor hervormingen die een betere, rechtvaardigere wereld bevorderen. Haar activisme vult haar literaire bijdragen aan, aangezien ze actief deelneemt aan organisaties die streven naar abolitionistische verandering.
"35,000 Americans are arrested every day, and the number of prisoners has increased 500% over the last three decades. Truthout Executive Director Maya Schenwar shows that incarceration actually doesn't deter crime, looks at its devastating effect on families and communities, and offers more humane and more effective alternatives"--
With a new afterword from the authors, the critically praised indictment of widely embraced "alternatives to incarceration" Electronic monitoring. Locked-down drug treatment centers. House arrest. Mandated psychiatric treatment. Data driven surveillance. Extended probation. These are some of the key alternatives held up as cost effective substitutes for jails and prisons. But in a searing, "cogent critique" (Library Journal), Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law reveal that many of these so-called reforms actually weave in new strands of punishment and control, bringing new populations who would not otherwise have been subject to imprisonment under physical control by the state. With a foreword by Michelle Alexander, Prison by Any Other Name exposes how a kinder narrative of reform is effectively obscuring an agenda of social control challenging us to question the ways we replicate the status quo when pursuing change, and offering a bolder vision for truly alternative justice practices. "At once an accessible primer for those newly interested in building alternatives to policing and incarceration, and a wealth of critical insights for seasoned abolitionists seeking to tread carefully through the dizzying terrain of a world turned upside down. . . . [Prison by Any Other Name is] a necessary text for reformers and abolitionists alike" (Brooklyn Rail).
Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better [16 Pt Large Print Edition]
Focusing on the impact of incarceration, the author reveals how the prison system disrupts families and communities, particularly among poor communities of color. By sharing personal stories, including her own family's experiences, she illustrates the detrimental effects of imprisonment on social ties essential for fostering safety and rehabilitation. Highlighting community-based initiatives, the book advocates for addressing harm through connection instead of isolation, envisioning a future where collective safety and freedom can thrive.