Charts the injustices of prison privatization, race and the justice system, the quixotic drug war and the rarely discussed prison AIDS crisis. With fascinating narratives, shocking tales and small stories of hope.

Section I.The Warehousing of America's PoorThe Accused Gets What the System Doesn't Pay For-Stephen BrightAbsolute Power, Absolute Corruption-Ron OwenCapital Crimes-George WinslowColor Bind-Paul StreetDrug Policy as Social Control-Noam ChomskyVictims' Rights' as a Stalkinghorse for State Repression-Paul WrightSection II.Two Million Swept AwaySwept Away-Nell BernsteinAn American Seduction: Portrait of a Prison Town-Joelle FraserThe Politics of Boot Camp-Christian ParentiSecrecy, Power, Indefinite Detention-Mark DowTrapped by the System: Parole in America-Kelly VirellaRelocation Blues-Nell BernsteinSection IIIMaking a Buck off the Prisoner's BackBoeing Makes Slave Labor Fly-Paul WrightThe Politics of Prison Labor: a Union Perspective-Gordon LaferWork Strike Suppressed and Sabotaged in Ohio-Daniel Burton-RosePrison Jobs and Free World Unemployment-Adrian LomaxSection IVThe Private Prison IndustryBailing Out Private Jails-Judith GreeneJuvenile Crime Pays-Alex FriedmannUniversity Professor Shills for Private Prison Industry-Alex FriedmannCampus Activism Defeats Multinational's Prison Profiteering-Kevin PranisJuveniles Held Hostage-Alex FriedmannSection VMalign Neglect: Prison MedicineThe New Bedlam-Willie WiselyWreaking Medical Mayhem on Washington Prisoners-Tara HerivelHepatitis C: A Silent Epidemic Strikes U.S. Prisons-Silja TalviDying for Profits-Ron YoungPrisoners with HIV Deprived of Proper Medical Care-Anne Marie CusacFDOC Hazardous to Prisoners' Health-Mark Sherwood & Bob PoseyBill Clinton's Blood Trails-Jeffrey St. ClairSection VI Rape, Racism and RepressionCowboys and Prisoners-Willie WiselyThe Restraint Chair Anne?Marie CusacDeliberate Indifference-Joanne Mariner and Human Rights Watch Corcoran-Willie WiselyGuarding Their Silence-Christian ParentiOur Sisters' Keepers-Daniel Burton RoseNot Part of my Sentence-Silja TalviMake it Hard for Them-Mark DowAnatomy of a Whitewash-Mumia Abu?JamalSentenced to the Backwaters of Greene County, P.A.-Mumia Abu?JamalSection VI

"Prison Nation goes beyond the numbers to show the complex, interwoven reasons that have produced the prison-industrial complex. In every section of the book...readers will find solid reporting, gripping writing and political revelation." -- Ken Silverstein, from the Preface"This riveting collection makes a compelling case that the United States has an INjustice system at work, and that it operates its own gulag within this supposedly free society, largely out of sight of its citizenry. The brutalities, cruelties and inhumanity widely prevalent in the way people are put in prison, kept there, degraded and mistreated, as recounted in this book's accounts of racist bias, medical care, prison labor, parole, rape, and the "restraint chair," among many other topics, read like something out of Kafka and Solzenhitzyn. This important book is a shocker." -- Edward S. Herman, co-author of Manufacturing Consent"An extraordinary collection of essays by some of our most astute observers of the American prison system. What they tell us is shocking and sobering, and their analysis forces to think beyond the cruelties of everyday prison life to the social forces behind those cruelties. This volume makes clear the connection between prisons and poverty, the class nature of the justice system. It is both a treasury of information and a profound examination of imprisonment in America." -- Howard Zinn, author of APeople's History of the United States"Every American with any concern for justice and democracy ought to read this devastating book--but not right before bedtime. Prison Nation is a true horror story, a profound revelation of what the prison system is doing both to millions of poor Americans trapped in its no-exit nightmare and to America itself. But it is also an inspiring book, bringing together some of the most important work by dozens of dedicated scholars and activists." -- H. Bruce Franklin, John Cotton Dana Professor of English and American Studies, Rutgers University"This biography of Hurston is one of the best books I've read in years and I unabashedly highly recommend it." -- Jack Danger, The Portland Alliance"Documents a sea change in the criminal justice system that is eroding out democratic and egalitarian foundations." -- Ruminator Review"An outstanding new collection of essays by prison activists and social critics writing from both inside and outside prisons." -- Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures"Prison Nation goes beyond the numbers to show the complex, interwoven reasons that have produced the prison-industrial complex. In every section of the book...readers will find solid reporting, gripping writing and political revelation." -- Ken Silverstein, from the Preface"Every American with any concern for justice and democracy ought to read this devastating book--but not right before bedtime. Prison Nation is a true horror story, a profound revelation of what the prison system is doing both to millions of poor Americans trapped in its no-exit nightmare and to America itself. But it is also an inspiring book, bringing together some of the most important work by dozens of dedicated scholars and activists." -- H. Bruce Franklin, John Cotton Dana Professor of English and American Studies, Rutgers University"Documents a sea change in the criminal justice system that is eroding our democratic and egalitarian foundations." -- Ruminator Review