Mr. Smith Goes to Prison: What My Year Behind Bars Taught Me About America's Prison Crisis

Mr. Smith first walked the walk. Having done so, he has earned the right as well as the knowledge to talk the talk, and he does it extremely well. By entwining his personal story with a wider critique of our American prison system, he enables those of us who have never walked in his shoes or those of fellow convicts a look "inside." It is not a pretty place. As other reviewers have said, this a great read for those interested in our criminal justice system, however, I also strongly recommend "Mr. Smith Goes to Prison" as an absolute "should read" for all of us.

Great description of prison. The subtleties of life inside were not lost on Mr. Smith. He makes a great case for prison reform and catalogs the many reasons why the current system is so dysfunctional. He makes it clear that incarceration encourages recidivism and provides virtually no help for those prisoners who want to become productive members of society. Further, he explains why and how the current system serves special interests, but ignores the needs of society and the prisoners themselves.Of course, it's impossible to delve into the root causes of the current prison morass without getting into politics. Mr. Smith makes it clear that he favors the Left wing. A fellow Democrat asks Mr. Smith, "Whaddaya running' as, a Democrat or a Socialist?". While I do not share his politics, I found myself agreeing with him more often than not. He is not above criticizing members of his own party, or finding common cause with the other party. He seems to value truth and reform more than "mere" politics.One of the best thing he does is take a sober look at the basic assumptions of the penal system. What is the purpose of prison? Is it to punish? Is it to reintegrate the wayward into society? Is it to protect society?What is the current system actually doing?Like me, I'm sure you will have new insights into these questions and draw your own conclusions.Behind the sober analysis, there is a great drama going on. How is a 5'6" 120 pound white Jew going to survive for a year among radicalized blacks and the Aryan Brotherhood? At one point he laments that there was "no vicious gang of crooked Jewish accountants to protect their brethren". Check it out!

Mr. Smith gives an interesting account of what goes on in prison, and why. Two observations sum up his personal journey. No one has ever lost an election by being hard on crime. Prisoners are powerless and have no one to effectively advocate for them, while lots of people make money on our system of incarceration.The book is a memoir, but documented like a graduate school thesis, to provide support for Smith's personal observations that we incarcerate too often, too ineffectively, and too inefficiently.The book is an easy read and enlightens on an important social subject.

Mr. Smith has written a book that readily informs us of two serious issues here in America, the educational and the prison system, both full of heartbreaking problems. He also talks about how odious the racial problem is, adding up all these topics shows America is in a world of hurt.By not keeping to a moral compass himself, he became enmeshed in the prison system and learned how hard it is to pay the piper. Yet he is, as we all are, a creature of God who is and will forever be growing and learning for the better we hope.This book is one you will not regret buying and I look forward to his next book. I hope with my whole heart Mr. Smith will remember how much it hurts some he left by the wayside, even though they acted like they expected no different, in their heart they were aching for him to be the one truly different and loyal ONE.

Smith's unique experience with the criminal justice system provides yet another much needed vantage point for Americans. This book is written with great precision and attention to subtle details that often escape the minds of those engaged in policymaking or debate about reform of the current criminal justice system. The most intriguing portion of this work is the author's ability to provide understandable accounts of the social dynamics governing those within the borders of a prison compound. While Smith does not cower from taking responsibility for his actions throughout the narrative, he also does not shy from conveying the broader impacts of America's high incarceration rate and prison conditions. His assertions and arguments are accompanied with a reasonable set of references to prior literature, studies, and reporting, allowing motivated readers to continue to investigate this area. This book is an excellent and accessible read for anyone curious about the state of American criminal justice.

This book was an excellent read! As a social worker and someone who owned a health care company (inmate health care) I was intrigued by what Jeff Smith had to say. I have to say that this book was insightful and disturbing all at the same time. I believe, and always have believed that prison reform is certainly something that this country should look at. However, after reading this book, I now know that prison reform is ESSENTIAL and to capitalize, exploit, and offer no true rehabilitation to those who are incarcerated is just wrong on so many levels. No, I do not feel sorry for the inmates, and that is not the author's point. Mr. Smith's point is plain and simple. Prison reform. Let's just take a look at it. Really, look at it.