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Doing Life: Reflections Of Men And Women Serving Life Sentences
What does it mean to face a life prison sentence? What have "lifers" learned about life—from having taken a life? Photographer Howard Zehr has interviewed and made portraits of men and women in Pennsylvania prisons who are serving life sentences without possibility of parole. Readers see the prisoners as people, de-mystified.
Brief text accompanies each portrait, the voice of each prisoner speaking openly about the crime each has committed, the utter violation of another person each has caused. They speak of loneliness, missing their children growing up, dealing with the vacuum, caught between death and life. A timely book.
Brief text accompanies each portrait, the voice of each prisoner speaking openly about the crime each has committed, the utter violation of another person each has caused. They speak of loneliness, missing their children growing up, dealing with the vacuum, caught between death and life. A timely book.
- GenresNonfiction
124 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1996
4 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Howard Zehr
56 books45 followersHoward Zehr is an American criminologist, prolific writer and editor, speaker, educator, and photojournalist; widely considered to be a pioneer of the modern concept of restorative justice.
Widely known as “the grandfather of restorative justice,” Zehr began as a practitioner and theorist in restorative justice in the late 1970s at the foundational stage of the field. He has led hundreds of events in more than 25 countries and 35 states, including trainings and consultations on restorative justice, victim-offender conferencing, judicial reform, and other criminal justice matters. His impact has been especially significant in the United States, Brazil, Japan, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Britain, the Ukraine, and New Zealand, a country that has restructured its juvenile justice system into a family-focused, restorative approach.
Zehr was an early advocate of making the needs of victims central to the practice of restorative justice. A core theme in his work is respect for the dignity of all peoples.
Widely known as “the grandfather of restorative justice,” Zehr began as a practitioner and theorist in restorative justice in the late 1970s at the foundational stage of the field. He has led hundreds of events in more than 25 countries and 35 states, including trainings and consultations on restorative justice, victim-offender conferencing, judicial reform, and other criminal justice matters. His impact has been especially significant in the United States, Brazil, Japan, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Britain, the Ukraine, and New Zealand, a country that has restructured its juvenile justice system into a family-focused, restorative approach.
Zehr was an early advocate of making the needs of victims central to the practice of restorative justice. A core theme in his work is respect for the dignity of all peoples.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 15, 2016
These interviews and photos were taken by Howard Zehr, the "grandfather" of restorative justice, back in 1996, the book reissued in 2010. Lifers tell their stories of regret, restoration, their hopes for an opportunity to contribute to the world and balance the scales. Harrowing to realize that another 20 years have passed, and they are still there. The potential for making good wasted at the altar of a blind, cold, and inhumane system.
I recently received a small grant to purchase books for my local prison's education department. A majority of the purchases are books in Spanish or bilingual Spanish/English (we've now doubled their Spanish library collection), as well as resources for successful reentry, parenting at a distance, and writing fluency. I snuck this one in, too.
I recently received a small grant to purchase books for my local prison's education department. A majority of the purchases are books in Spanish or bilingual Spanish/English (we've now doubled their Spanish library collection), as well as resources for successful reentry, parenting at a distance, and writing fluency. I snuck this one in, too.
March 10, 2020
In this book, fifty eight lifers from the Pennsylvania correctional system give their perspective on living at the government’s pleasure for the rest of their natural existences. A page sized photo of the inmate is provided, along with a quote from them, or a short essay. Their words deal little with the day-to-day reality of living in a prison system, but more on their philosophy of life now.
A lot of it is repetitious. Many have “found God”. All talk about the struggle to keep going and not fall into a black hole of despair. The sincerity of each is nearly impossible to ascertain. Where they putting on a front in hopes of bettering their chances for commutation? Maybe. Some seemed very self-involved, which may be a by-product of the prison environment. The stories I found most believable are the ones which discussed why they were in prison in the first place. Others were just sob stories.
The photographs are somewhat candid. Prisoners are not in prison fatigues nor are they shown in prison facilities. They are deliberately placed in street clothes in order to humanize them as, the author states, many people cannot see beyond the prison fatigues. And it works. If you randomly flip through the book, you would not automatically think you were gazing at a collection of killers.
A lot of it is repetitious. Many have “found God”. All talk about the struggle to keep going and not fall into a black hole of despair. The sincerity of each is nearly impossible to ascertain. Where they putting on a front in hopes of bettering their chances for commutation? Maybe. Some seemed very self-involved, which may be a by-product of the prison environment. The stories I found most believable are the ones which discussed why they were in prison in the first place. Others were just sob stories.
The photographs are somewhat candid. Prisoners are not in prison fatigues nor are they shown in prison facilities. They are deliberately placed in street clothes in order to humanize them as, the author states, many people cannot see beyond the prison fatigues. And it works. If you randomly flip through the book, you would not automatically think you were gazing at a collection of killers.
September 18, 2024
Sad but with a hopeful tint. Howard Zehr is doing important work.
October 15, 2024
This book is short, but impactful. It does a great job humanizing the subjects of the photographs and telling their stories as they want them to be told. It's also a great, human introduction to restorative justice. I have to wonder if Brandon Stanton (of Humans of New York) was inspired by Howard Zehr. - 1/5/2021
Edit from second reading, 10/15/2024
The above is still true (rare, but I didn't say much). Coming back to this book many years later with a deeper understanding of the punishment bureaucracy in the U.S. has shown me that many things have not changed. There are still many politicians and individuals whose only conception of justice is punishment. At least a significant number of non politicians truly do not believe that a better way is possible. They have lost sight of the humanity of their neighbors because prisons do a very good job of cutting people off from their community, literally hiding them from sight. Not only does this system do a disservice to perpetrators of crimes, their family members, and their communities, it also often ignores the needs of victims except in such cases where they serve as useful props for a new "tough on crime" bill.
As Zehr reminds us, "victims are neglected because victims are not part of our society's actual definition of crime."
Edit from second reading, 10/15/2024
The above is still true (rare, but I didn't say much). Coming back to this book many years later with a deeper understanding of the punishment bureaucracy in the U.S. has shown me that many things have not changed. There are still many politicians and individuals whose only conception of justice is punishment. At least a significant number of non politicians truly do not believe that a better way is possible. They have lost sight of the humanity of their neighbors because prisons do a very good job of cutting people off from their community, literally hiding them from sight. Not only does this system do a disservice to perpetrators of crimes, their family members, and their communities, it also often ignores the needs of victims except in such cases where they serve as useful props for a new "tough on crime" bill.
As Zehr reminds us, "victims are neglected because victims are not part of our society's actual definition of crime."
January 13, 2016
Just like I'm both fascinated and terrified by death, the thought of imprisonment completely captures me in a truly scary way. These are all short interviews, a page or two in length, accompanied by photos of men and women who have been sentenced to life in prison. Through the interviews, the author/photographer addresses the complicated issues of life without the possibility of parole as a sentence from the point of view of those who have committed the crimes. It's an issue I've considered a lot lately, and I was fascinated to hear how the men and women who are facing that sentence talk about it.
I feel like, as in every other case, there are such good arguments for each position. I was moved by many of the men and women who wanted to redeem themselves and make something of their lives. I also noticed how frequently they used language that placed the blame on outside sources - they would refer to "the incident" or "what happened" rather than taking responsibility for their own actions. The images are, of course, somewhat dated, but the book itself, and the issue of the sentence itself are still current and valuable for readers today.
I feel like, as in every other case, there are such good arguments for each position. I was moved by many of the men and women who wanted to redeem themselves and make something of their lives. I also noticed how frequently they used language that placed the blame on outside sources - they would refer to "the incident" or "what happened" rather than taking responsibility for their own actions. The images are, of course, somewhat dated, but the book itself, and the issue of the sentence itself are still current and valuable for readers today.
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February 21, 2016Read this book. Anyone who still believes that 'life should mean life' or that THEY could never commit murder should hold a different view once they have read Doing Life.
Almost any one of us could be one of these people; there is not one whom one would not be glad to have as a neighbour. You will see yourself in this book-but I doubt if I would have their courage.
Almost any one of us could be one of these people; there is not one whom one would not be glad to have as a neighbour. You will see yourself in this book-but I doubt if I would have their courage.
July 3, 2012
Nothing could be more powerful than the words and photographs of men and women serving life sentences without parole. They discuss searching for a resolution to the crimes they committed and how they live to find hope and meaning in every day while they are in prison. I was very moved.
February 16, 2016
Both the photographs and first hand stories are effective and touching. As I explore the idea of restorative justice, this book has an important place.
October 13, 2012
Amazing! I can't wait to read some of his other books.
November 11, 2017
This was a short worthwhile read.
At first, reading one metaphor after another by people who have irrevocably taken others lives seems like each one has an arrogant complex where they still think they are so inspirational & above others. Yet, each metaphor does lead one's thinking in a different direction about the topic of life sentences & choices.
I liked that the crimes & backgrounds of each person were not included. Just a blurb on their own thinking. Often I felt like I was reading inspiration material. I waited until I was near the end of the book to start googling what their crimes were as I read. And that really changed reading the "rural, conservative, math teacher's" words versus the man who murdered a student & even escaped prison years later.
At first, reading one metaphor after another by people who have irrevocably taken others lives seems like each one has an arrogant complex where they still think they are so inspirational & above others. Yet, each metaphor does lead one's thinking in a different direction about the topic of life sentences & choices.
I liked that the crimes & backgrounds of each person were not included. Just a blurb on their own thinking. Often I felt like I was reading inspiration material. I waited until I was near the end of the book to start googling what their crimes were as I read. And that really changed reading the "rural, conservative, math teacher's" words versus the man who murdered a student & even escaped prison years later.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews