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The Fall of the Prison: Biblical Perspectives on Prison Abolition
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280 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 1, 2014
This is one of my all-time favorite books. I just finished my second reading -- my first was more than 10 years ago -- and although I did experience a slump, that was as much because it got really wet and more than half the book was seriously warped. It's not as satisfying reading a wavy, crunchy, formerly-wet book, but when I picked it up again I was very glad I didn't skip the final chapter.
Griffith is a true Biblical scholar who looks at the prison system through various prisms: theology, Biblical studies, sociology, history, and (perhaps most importantly) Christian discipleship. The Fall of the Prison is so much more than a treatise on our prison system; it's really remarkable Biblical exegesis that touches on many more topics and areas of life.
I do not agree with everything Griffith says, but his research is meticulous and he provides case study after case study as well as the best kind of detailed and inspiring Biblical interpretation. The question he asks concerns the "kingdom of God," which he discusses at some length; the final sentence of the first chapter could be considered the thesis of the book: "The matter finally comes down to a peculiar question: Are there prisons in the kingdom of God? And if there are no prisoners there and then, how can we support the imprisonment of people here and now? For in fact, the kingdom of God is among us here and now" (28).
There are so many facts and figures and anecdotes and studies cited that it's almost too much to wrap your head around, but it's all grounded in this initial chapter, "Prisons and the Relevance of the Gospel." I had many questions, and Griffith doesn't really answer all of them: what do we do with sociopaths or psychopaths who harm others without compunction? How do we keep "the least of these" safe if we allow the most dangerous, murderous people out on the streets? I don't think he answers those questions in an entirely satisfactory way, but he makes an excellent argument that prisons are simply incompatible with the Good News that Jesus preached.
More to the point, Griffith may answer my question indirectly, by pointing out the ease into which I/we fall into hypocrisy: "People of every historical epoch believe that there are special circumstances that prevent them from living faithfully according to the standards and principles they claim to value. . . . Living out our lives and making our ethical decisions according to . . . special circumstances means in actuality that our values and ethics are controlled by the lowest common denominator. . . . [I]f there are a priori calculations about those circumstances in which the principles we hold do not apply, then questions must arise about whether we in fact hold those principles at all." 10-11 Thus, if we say with all earnestness "love your enemies" on Sunday morning but then insist on incarcerating not only our personal enemies but people who possess certain drugs, for instance, there's a disconnect: we can either love our enemies or support a system that incarcerates them.
Powerful and tough stuff that doesn't let anybody off the hook easily. This is an amazing book, one that affected me even more deeply the second time I read it, more than a decade after the first.
Griffith is a true Biblical scholar who looks at the prison system through various prisms: theology, Biblical studies, sociology, history, and (perhaps most importantly) Christian discipleship. The Fall of the Prison is so much more than a treatise on our prison system; it's really remarkable Biblical exegesis that touches on many more topics and areas of life.
I do not agree with everything Griffith says, but his research is meticulous and he provides case study after case study as well as the best kind of detailed and inspiring Biblical interpretation. The question he asks concerns the "kingdom of God," which he discusses at some length; the final sentence of the first chapter could be considered the thesis of the book: "The matter finally comes down to a peculiar question: Are there prisons in the kingdom of God? And if there are no prisoners there and then, how can we support the imprisonment of people here and now? For in fact, the kingdom of God is among us here and now" (28).
There are so many facts and figures and anecdotes and studies cited that it's almost too much to wrap your head around, but it's all grounded in this initial chapter, "Prisons and the Relevance of the Gospel." I had many questions, and Griffith doesn't really answer all of them: what do we do with sociopaths or psychopaths who harm others without compunction? How do we keep "the least of these" safe if we allow the most dangerous, murderous people out on the streets? I don't think he answers those questions in an entirely satisfactory way, but he makes an excellent argument that prisons are simply incompatible with the Good News that Jesus preached.
More to the point, Griffith may answer my question indirectly, by pointing out the ease into which I/we fall into hypocrisy: "People of every historical epoch believe that there are special circumstances that prevent them from living faithfully according to the standards and principles they claim to value. . . . Living out our lives and making our ethical decisions according to . . . special circumstances means in actuality that our values and ethics are controlled by the lowest common denominator. . . . [I]f there are a priori calculations about those circumstances in which the principles we hold do not apply, then questions must arise about whether we in fact hold those principles at all." 10-11 Thus, if we say with all earnestness "love your enemies" on Sunday morning but then insist on incarcerating not only our personal enemies but people who possess certain drugs, for instance, there's a disconnect: we can either love our enemies or support a system that incarcerates them.
Powerful and tough stuff that doesn't let anybody off the hook easily. This is an amazing book, one that affected me even more deeply the second time I read it, more than a decade after the first.
August 22, 2025
I can only wish that more Christians/everyone would read this book. It speaks very clearly about how modern Christianity has been spun into something unrecognizable when compared to actual biblical teachings. I love how it highlights the importance of love and caring for one another rather than villainizing certain people, specifically those who are incarcerated, mentally ill, or poor. Super good.
July 13, 2016
Cannot recommend this book highly enough. Griffith lays out a compelling hermeneutical strategy which allows him to engage Scripture, church history, and the history of prisons to say "In the name of Jesus, unlock the cages!"
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews