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My Name is Saffron: Voices Silenced, Stifled, and Taken Away
“Prison became a chapter of my life.”
A thriving entrepreneur in her 30’s, managing medical clinics across three states and providing care for patients battling illnesses such as cancer and lymphedema, Saffron’s world unraveled when she challenged a delinquent insurance company and prevailed; only to face retaliation with false accusations submitted to the FBI.
Over the ensuing years, Saffron became the subject of relentless surveillance, intimidation, and harassment by federal agents. Pressured into signing a plea deal, she found herself navigating the harsh conditions of federal prison.
Saffron’s memoir chronicles her experiences within the California prison system and an Oregon halfway house. Emerging from incarceration, Saffron was driven to establish Marpé Haven, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women who have been voiceless, aiming to dismantle the oppressive structures of the U.S. justice system and foster opportunities for healing and growth.
As Saffron put the finishing touches on her book, the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, was permanently closed. Saffron’s story serves as a timely, firsthand account of systemic abuse and a clarion call for reform in the treatment of women prisoners, both within and beyond the prison walls.
Throughout the ordeal, Saffron fought to maintain her identity and voice, with a determination to help other women reclaim theirs through this compelling memoir highlighting the stark realities of social injustice within the women’s federal prison system.
A thriving entrepreneur in her 30’s, managing medical clinics across three states and providing care for patients battling illnesses such as cancer and lymphedema, Saffron’s world unraveled when she challenged a delinquent insurance company and prevailed; only to face retaliation with false accusations submitted to the FBI.
Over the ensuing years, Saffron became the subject of relentless surveillance, intimidation, and harassment by federal agents. Pressured into signing a plea deal, she found herself navigating the harsh conditions of federal prison.
Saffron’s memoir chronicles her experiences within the California prison system and an Oregon halfway house. Emerging from incarceration, Saffron was driven to establish Marpé Haven, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women who have been voiceless, aiming to dismantle the oppressive structures of the U.S. justice system and foster opportunities for healing and growth.
As Saffron put the finishing touches on her book, the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, was permanently closed. Saffron’s story serves as a timely, firsthand account of systemic abuse and a clarion call for reform in the treatment of women prisoners, both within and beyond the prison walls.
Throughout the ordeal, Saffron fought to maintain her identity and voice, with a determination to help other women reclaim theirs through this compelling memoir highlighting the stark realities of social injustice within the women’s federal prison system.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 10, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 3, 2025
Book Review: My Name is Saffron: Voices Silenced, Stifled, and Taken Away by Saffron Gustafson
Saffron Gustafson’s My Name is Saffron is a searing and courageous memoir that exposes the hidden wounds of the U.S. justice system while shining a light on resilience, advocacy, and the power of reclaiming one’s voice.
Once a thriving entrepreneur dedicated to helping patients through her medical clinics, Saffron’s life took a devastating turn when her fight against a corrupt insurance company brought her into the crosshairs of federal retaliation. What follows is a harrowing account of intimidation, false accusations, and the suffocating machinery of a system designed to silence rather than seek justice. Her incarceration in federal prison—marked by abuse, neglect, and the stripping away of identity—becomes not just a personal ordeal, but a reflection of broader systemic failures, especially in the treatment of women prisoners.
Yet, this memoir is not solely about suffering. Gustafson’s story is also one of defiance and renewal. Through raw honesty and unflinching detail, she documents her journey from despair to empowerment, culminating in her founding of Marpé Haven, a nonprofit that champions the voices and futures of women who have endured similar oppression.
Timely, unfiltered, and deeply human, My Name is Saffron is more than a memoir—it’s a call to action. For readers who care about justice reform, women’s rights, and the resilience of the human spirit, this book is both heartbreaking and galvanizing.
Saffron Gustafson’s My Name is Saffron is a searing and courageous memoir that exposes the hidden wounds of the U.S. justice system while shining a light on resilience, advocacy, and the power of reclaiming one’s voice.
Once a thriving entrepreneur dedicated to helping patients through her medical clinics, Saffron’s life took a devastating turn when her fight against a corrupt insurance company brought her into the crosshairs of federal retaliation. What follows is a harrowing account of intimidation, false accusations, and the suffocating machinery of a system designed to silence rather than seek justice. Her incarceration in federal prison—marked by abuse, neglect, and the stripping away of identity—becomes not just a personal ordeal, but a reflection of broader systemic failures, especially in the treatment of women prisoners.
Yet, this memoir is not solely about suffering. Gustafson’s story is also one of defiance and renewal. Through raw honesty and unflinching detail, she documents her journey from despair to empowerment, culminating in her founding of Marpé Haven, a nonprofit that champions the voices and futures of women who have endured similar oppression.
Timely, unfiltered, and deeply human, My Name is Saffron is more than a memoir—it’s a call to action. For readers who care about justice reform, women’s rights, and the resilience of the human spirit, this book is both heartbreaking and galvanizing.
October 28, 2025
Oh my goodness, what a heartbreaking story. Many times I couldn’t read it and had to walk away for a while. Our prison system is really broken, especially for women. Saffron was so amazing to have come through such a terrible and heart-wrenching experience.
October 27, 2025
Fascinating book
Saffron had been a very successful owner of several businesses that she ran efficiently and honestly. What happened to her was a horrible injustice. I could hardly put the book down since her story was so compelling.
Saffron had been a very successful owner of several businesses that she ran efficiently and honestly. What happened to her was a horrible injustice. I could hardly put the book down since her story was so compelling.
December 10, 2025
A very enlightening story. Gut wrenching and uplifting at the same time. What happened to Saffron is hard to believe and that it happens in the US is even more tragic.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews