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Lockdown on Rikers: Shocking Stories of Abuse and Injustice at New York's Notorious Jail
Mary Buser began her career at Rikers Island as a social work intern, brimming with ideas and eager to help incarcerated women find a better path. Her reassignment to a men's jail coincided with the dawn of the city's "stop-and-frisk" policy, a flood of unprecedented arrests, and the biggest jailhouse build-up in New York City history.Committed to the possibility of growth for the scarred and tattooed masses who filed into her session booth, Buser was suddenly faced with black eyes, punched-out teeth, and frantic whispers of beatings by officers. Recognizing the greater danger of pointing a finger at one's captors, Buser attempted to help them, while also keeping them as well as herself, safe. Following her promotion to assistant chief, she was transferred to different jails, working in the Mental Health Center, and finally, at Rikers's notorious "jail within jail," the dreaded solitary confinement unit, where she saw horrors she'd never imagined. Finally, it became too much to bear, forcing Buser to flee Rikers and never look back - until now.Lockdown on Rikers shines a light into the deepest and most horrific recesses of the criminal justice system, and shows how far it has really drifted from the ideals we espouse.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2015
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October 14, 2015
Since reading Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption which appalled me with the injustice in our legal system, my interest in social issues has peaked. After seeing one of my friends, (thanks, Esil), review I thought this was a nice compliment to the other. And once again I am appalled. At the way we treat our mentally ill, the resources that are being cut continuously, appalled that they need to be jailed to get any kind of care. Really? In the 21st century in what is supposed to be an enlightened nation. Maybe I should say I am angry too?
Buser starts out as an intern in social work at Riker's working in the women's section. She returns later as an employee but this time in the men's section. She points out some major differences in the two sections. The men are treated very harshly, and she sees things she is powerless to change. One thing that stayed the same in both sections is most of the people awaiting trial at Rikers are poor, no bail money, not many resources, have state appointed lawyers with way too many cases. Seems once again the system is working only for those with money, can afford good attorneys and have family available for support. They can commit the same crimes but they are not the ones sitting at Rikers, sometimes waiting for a trial that is years away.
So another eye opening read, lots of food for thought. There has to be a better and more fair, humane way, doesn't there?
ARC from Netgalley.
Buser starts out as an intern in social work at Riker's working in the women's section. She returns later as an employee but this time in the men's section. She points out some major differences in the two sections. The men are treated very harshly, and she sees things she is powerless to change. One thing that stayed the same in both sections is most of the people awaiting trial at Rikers are poor, no bail money, not many resources, have state appointed lawyers with way too many cases. Seems once again the system is working only for those with money, can afford good attorneys and have family available for support. They can commit the same crimes but they are not the ones sitting at Rikers, sometimes waiting for a trial that is years away.
So another eye opening read, lots of food for thought. There has to be a better and more fair, humane way, doesn't there?
ARC from Netgalley.
September 27, 2015
4++++ Many years ago, as part of my work at the time, I was given a tour of the Don Jail in Toronto while it was still in operation. The Don jail was a notoriously nasty place, and it is in fact no longer an operating jail. I'm sure it was not nasty like Rikers, but I remember having a very visceral reaction to the visit -- a mixture of fear, unreality and revulsion. The beginning of Lockdown on Rikers elicited a similar reaction in me. But in this relatively short book, the author does such a good job of bringing Rikers to life and humanizing the inmates she worked with that by the end of the book my reaction isn't revulsion or fear, but outrage and frustration at the gaping flaws in the criminal justice system. Buser is a social worker who first worked at Rikers as a student in the women's jail in the early 1990s, and then returned a few years later in the mid 1990s to work in the men's jails. Her book contains a mixture of her own background, information about Rikers and the increased rate of incarceration in the US, individual stories of inmates she worked with and her reactions to her experiences. The stories of the women -- who are all black or Hispanic -- are almost all about addiction, mental illness, poverty, dysfunctional family backgrounds, histories of foster care and fear that the inmates' own children will end up in foster care. The stories of the men are very similar, but their crimes are often more serious and the way they are treated by the correctional officers much more brutal. Buser was clearly troubled by the realities of the people she worked with, and frustrated at the limits of what she could do for them-- although she appears to have at least been able to forge meaningful therapeutic connections with many inmates. Because Rikers is primarily a holding jail for people awaiting trial -- which shockingly held 24,000 people at one time throughout Buser's work there -- Buser also makes the point on more than one occasion that many people there have not been convicted and that they are there because they can't afford the few hundred dollars needed for bail. There are politics seething at the surface of this book, but primarily Buser recounts her experience and her observations in a way that really brings to life the grim reality she depicts.
And now I'm going to break my self imposed one paragraph rule because this book really made an impression on me. I recently listened to the audio of Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, which is an amazing book based on his work with the Innocence Project. In his book, he focuses on inmates on death row, but he has a few chapters dealing with women, youth and the mentally ill. He is very pointed in his comments about the fact that there is no justice in criminalizing problems like addiction, poverty and mental illness -- that we need a system focused on helping people rather than punishing them. Lockdown on Rikers is a great compliment to Just Mercy. Buser gives a lot of life to some of the issues Stevenson touches on. Incarceration and punishment are no doubt complicated issues -- fraught with an overlay of politics and economics -- but these two books really highlight those issues and how the current system in America is woefully flawed.
Lockdown on Rikers was a powerful read. I read it in less than a day and had trouble putting it down. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
And now I'm going to break my self imposed one paragraph rule because this book really made an impression on me. I recently listened to the audio of Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, which is an amazing book based on his work with the Innocence Project. In his book, he focuses on inmates on death row, but he has a few chapters dealing with women, youth and the mentally ill. He is very pointed in his comments about the fact that there is no justice in criminalizing problems like addiction, poverty and mental illness -- that we need a system focused on helping people rather than punishing them. Lockdown on Rikers is a great compliment to Just Mercy. Buser gives a lot of life to some of the issues Stevenson touches on. Incarceration and punishment are no doubt complicated issues -- fraught with an overlay of politics and economics -- but these two books really highlight those issues and how the current system in America is woefully flawed.
Lockdown on Rikers was a powerful read. I read it in less than a day and had trouble putting it down. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
June 17, 2015
Ms. Buser chronicles her experiences working as a mental health professional at the Rikers Island Jail in NYC. Her tenure coincided with the then Mayor Rudy Giuliani's reign, and his ambitious efforts to combat crime. As a 30 year law enforcement professional myself, 21+ years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, I was eagerly awaiting this book. Ms. Buser did not disappoint me. From her early days as a student intern, and through her climb up through the ranks, Buser captures the experiences (and horrors) of captivity. Buser started out with a rather simple philosophy, that being "everyone needs to be heard", and "at least for the moment, they (inmates) found the peace and relief that comes from being deeply heard by another". (In all honesty, I agree with her). As her career progressed, and her experience level rose, she found herself evolving (?), "that if I was going to work with the incarcerated, then I needed to leave judgements to the courts and keep my focus on mental status". I, too, found this to be true. You simply could not continue to function without putting on some sense of "blinders". It was just too much. Eventually, she found "with that session, I saw the light. My belief that everyone could be helped was naive". She discovered one of the reasons for gangs, "the group is a powerful unit, it's inherent draw being that it offers a sense of belonging, a universal human need, which explains much of the allure of gangs". Buser continues to evolve throughout the book. She comes to understand that she cannot "save the world" through her position at the jail. It's a sobering, depressing realization; but one that most (I believe) corrections professionals come to see. I applaud her efforts, (spoiler alert) and wish that it had all turned out better for her. If I could offer her any consolation, it is that she probably did make a difference, it's just hard to see until you have the time and space to step away and realize it. Not a happy read, but I found it to be engaging. Buser is a good writer. I would recommend this book to someone thinking about Corrections as a career.
September 15, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I'd requested the book because the prison system in this country is essentially broken beyond repair, and I thought that maybe Ms. Buser would have some unique insights as to how this came about and what could be done in the future.
While she had some really wonderful anecdotes as well as shocking and saddening ones, the revelations are few and far between. She writes a lot about not being able to give inmates the standard of care they deserve, and how frustrating this is in our supposedly very civilized society. To her credit, Ms. Buser really invokes a sense of joy for her hard-earned victories within the prison walls - a sorely needed bright spot in what is a truly dire situation.
The writing here is average and no frills at best. Nothing impressive, but I think that gives her stories the room they need to shine. Ultimately, my problem was with the lack of synthesis. The book moves from one stage of her life to the next, and ends abruptly with very little comment anywhere regarding the problems with prisons in general and ways we can move towards something better in the future.
While she had some really wonderful anecdotes as well as shocking and saddening ones, the revelations are few and far between. She writes a lot about not being able to give inmates the standard of care they deserve, and how frustrating this is in our supposedly very civilized society. To her credit, Ms. Buser really invokes a sense of joy for her hard-earned victories within the prison walls - a sorely needed bright spot in what is a truly dire situation.
The writing here is average and no frills at best. Nothing impressive, but I think that gives her stories the room they need to shine. Ultimately, my problem was with the lack of synthesis. The book moves from one stage of her life to the next, and ends abruptly with very little comment anywhere regarding the problems with prisons in general and ways we can move towards something better in the future.
October 9, 2015
I don't really follow world events, so to be honest I have not read any of the articles on the treatment of the prisoners at Rikers. So going into this book I had an open mind. I think this was an advantage to me as I was able to get a glimpse of what author, Mary Buser saw and experienced during her time at Rikers. I have to give Mary props as it takes a special kind of breed of people to do the type of job that Mary and her co-workers offer to prisoners in the judicial system.
Which I imagine there is injustice happening in the prisoners but the media does not report it because who really wants to hear about the criminals getting treated badly. I know when I think of that I don't feel sorry but then again I am imagining serial killers and not the petty criminals, who are in jail for things like drug problems and petty thief.
I was hoping that Mary would disclose more details about the injustice but what I did read did open my mind to the fact that the mental help problems that we have in place are not enough and we need to strengthen them as mental health is a serious problem like drugs and alcohol.
Which I imagine there is injustice happening in the prisoners but the media does not report it because who really wants to hear about the criminals getting treated badly. I know when I think of that I don't feel sorry but then again I am imagining serial killers and not the petty criminals, who are in jail for things like drug problems and petty thief.
I was hoping that Mary would disclose more details about the injustice but what I did read did open my mind to the fact that the mental help problems that we have in place are not enough and we need to strengthen them as mental health is a serious problem like drugs and alcohol.
October 11, 2015
This is a non-fiction book about Mary working in mental health at Rikers Jail in New York She started as an intern first in the women's unit and later moved to the men's part of the jail. She has a great deal of compassion for the inmates. Most of the inmates according to Mary are black, Hispanic, poor, coming from homes where drug use is the norm, or growing up without parents or in foster care. What kind of lives do we expect from the result of growing up in these environments? She talks about the women who are pregnant when the enter jail, having their babies in jail and raising them in jail, where there are facilities that house the babies for a short time.
She refers to an article she read that stated, "criminals do things to others that the rest of us might actually enjoy doing had these impulses not been socialized out of us; yet hearing about these deeds can be tantalizing, which explains the wild appeal of crime-based books, movies, and TV shows." I don't know about this....how exactly had these impulses be socialized out of us?? But I do agree that on some level we do find excitement in reading and watching violence and that is disturbing, but true. It is quite a stretch to imply that we might actually like doing the act.
If you want a glimpse inside of Rikers and how mental health is almost non-existent then this is a good read. Rikers is a 415 acre island with a record of 24,000 detainees (at one time) who sit and wait for their sentences to be handed down so they can go to prison or be let out of the jail. If these inmates had the finances to allow them to be free until sentencing they would not have to be spending a year to two years awaiting their sentences in jail. Mary talks about the mental anguish of waiting in prison for their sentence as opposed to being free and waiting and how so many just want to get it over with so they accept a plea bargain instead of going to trial. It is disturbing how the detainees are treated in jail. Remember they haven't even gone to prison yet, these people are waiting for their trials and the sentences.
No great writing going on here, it is more like a daily account of her days and the frustration of dealing with bureaucracy and trying to do her job. In the end she just leaves. I commend her for staying as long as she did. It is an impossible task. This book makes me think a great deal about the conversation or lack thereof going on right now in the media about gun control rather than the mental health crises that exist in our country. Let's just put them away, impose stricter gun laws, but very little mentioning of the mental health of the individual who committed the crime. It is STILL a taboo subject. Ridiculous!!
She refers to an article she read that stated, "criminals do things to others that the rest of us might actually enjoy doing had these impulses not been socialized out of us; yet hearing about these deeds can be tantalizing, which explains the wild appeal of crime-based books, movies, and TV shows." I don't know about this....how exactly had these impulses be socialized out of us?? But I do agree that on some level we do find excitement in reading and watching violence and that is disturbing, but true. It is quite a stretch to imply that we might actually like doing the act.
If you want a glimpse inside of Rikers and how mental health is almost non-existent then this is a good read. Rikers is a 415 acre island with a record of 24,000 detainees (at one time) who sit and wait for their sentences to be handed down so they can go to prison or be let out of the jail. If these inmates had the finances to allow them to be free until sentencing they would not have to be spending a year to two years awaiting their sentences in jail. Mary talks about the mental anguish of waiting in prison for their sentence as opposed to being free and waiting and how so many just want to get it over with so they accept a plea bargain instead of going to trial. It is disturbing how the detainees are treated in jail. Remember they haven't even gone to prison yet, these people are waiting for their trials and the sentences.
No great writing going on here, it is more like a daily account of her days and the frustration of dealing with bureaucracy and trying to do her job. In the end she just leaves. I commend her for staying as long as she did. It is an impossible task. This book makes me think a great deal about the conversation or lack thereof going on right now in the media about gun control rather than the mental health crises that exist in our country. Let's just put them away, impose stricter gun laws, but very little mentioning of the mental health of the individual who committed the crime. It is STILL a taboo subject. Ridiculous!!
November 8, 2024
“Hector Rodriquez had been arrested and charged with a crime that he may or may not have committed. He had yet to have his day in court.
But in the interim, because he couldn't make bail-for lack of a few hundred dollars—not only could he not remain at home with his family, he was remanded to an inaccessible island. His pretrial incarceration was not a question of guilt or innocence—it was a question of money!”
“And the one in charge is yelling, 'Don't move, don't anybody turn around? And this one kid, he's kind of stu-pid, you know, and he must have turned around 'cause next thing you know, he starts screaming, and they're dragging him off to a corner and beating him. All the while, they're saying to us, 'Don't turn around!' Jesus! It's like they were hoping for someone to move so they could beat the shit out of him. Then they threw some clothes on him and dragged him out. I don't know where they took him... maybe to the clinic or to another house... I just don't
know."
After our session ended and Antwan left, my mind was swirl-ing. I don't know what troubled me more: the judge or the housing search. I thought judges were supposed to be the impartial referees of the legal system. Instilling terror in the courtroom was not our legal system as I understood it. And when it came to the search, I just hoped Antwan was exaggerating.”
My friend at work let me borrow this necessary book that exposes the horror, pain& cruelty which takes place in one of America’s most infamous jails. I’m so glad the author took the time to write about what’s happening. We, as a society, really, really need to start caring about how the state is deciding to treat its most vulnerable people, because right now sitting back and doing nothing is costing lives. History will look back at this time and demand an answer to why we didn’t act to stop this evil. We have to act.
But in the interim, because he couldn't make bail-for lack of a few hundred dollars—not only could he not remain at home with his family, he was remanded to an inaccessible island. His pretrial incarceration was not a question of guilt or innocence—it was a question of money!”
“And the one in charge is yelling, 'Don't move, don't anybody turn around? And this one kid, he's kind of stu-pid, you know, and he must have turned around 'cause next thing you know, he starts screaming, and they're dragging him off to a corner and beating him. All the while, they're saying to us, 'Don't turn around!' Jesus! It's like they were hoping for someone to move so they could beat the shit out of him. Then they threw some clothes on him and dragged him out. I don't know where they took him... maybe to the clinic or to another house... I just don't
know."
After our session ended and Antwan left, my mind was swirl-ing. I don't know what troubled me more: the judge or the housing search. I thought judges were supposed to be the impartial referees of the legal system. Instilling terror in the courtroom was not our legal system as I understood it. And when it came to the search, I just hoped Antwan was exaggerating.”
My friend at work let me borrow this necessary book that exposes the horror, pain& cruelty which takes place in one of America’s most infamous jails. I’m so glad the author took the time to write about what’s happening. We, as a society, really, really need to start caring about how the state is deciding to treat its most vulnerable people, because right now sitting back and doing nothing is costing lives. History will look back at this time and demand an answer to why we didn’t act to stop this evil. We have to act.
September 27, 2015
I'm torn on how to review this book. I'll start with what I liked: The author shares some extraordinary stories and anecdotes of life behind prison walls. For readers unfamiliar with the truth of our prison system, many of these stories will be shocking. Even those hardcore readers who believe people in prison need to be punished, as opposed to rehabilitated, can't possibly read this and not be horrified. But there is also humor to lighten the mood, as well as some moments of hope to raise the spirits.
Now the not so good stuff (for me): I felt the book lacked a thread of continuity. This reads a bit like journal entries, with stories from each workday blended in with rants about the frustration of bureaucracy. We go from one thing to the next, a steady stream of stories without much insight. I would have liked more focus, or some way of connecting everything with specific discussion points.
My other problem comes with the writing style, which felt, at times, oddly removed, particularly for a memoir. The author tells us that certain things upset her regarding inmates' treatment, but I never felt it. I never saw a real reaction. Instead, as with many people unhappy with their jobs or their lives, the author plods along and tries to block out the things that upset her. And when it finally all becomes too much, she resigns. I just didn't feel the outrage from the author that I was feeling as a reader.
This memoir ends in the year 2000, when the author left her job. I have an advanced review copy, which ends rather abruptly. I understand that the published book will have an epilogue. I think that will be an important aspect, but of course I can't comment on the quality of that epilogue.
I do commend the author for writing this book. That alone earns extra points from me. We simply cannot call ourselves a civilized society, while behind prison walls we're tossing the poor into isolation cells (Supermax) for years at a time. And, yes, it's always the poor. You will not see a wealthy person in Supermax, and that is not because wealthy people don't break the law. We need more people like Mary Buser to speak up so that, maybe, enough of us will get too angry to sit back in silence.
*I received an ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
Now the not so good stuff (for me): I felt the book lacked a thread of continuity. This reads a bit like journal entries, with stories from each workday blended in with rants about the frustration of bureaucracy. We go from one thing to the next, a steady stream of stories without much insight. I would have liked more focus, or some way of connecting everything with specific discussion points.
My other problem comes with the writing style, which felt, at times, oddly removed, particularly for a memoir. The author tells us that certain things upset her regarding inmates' treatment, but I never felt it. I never saw a real reaction. Instead, as with many people unhappy with their jobs or their lives, the author plods along and tries to block out the things that upset her. And when it finally all becomes too much, she resigns. I just didn't feel the outrage from the author that I was feeling as a reader.
This memoir ends in the year 2000, when the author left her job. I have an advanced review copy, which ends rather abruptly. I understand that the published book will have an epilogue. I think that will be an important aspect, but of course I can't comment on the quality of that epilogue.
I do commend the author for writing this book. That alone earns extra points from me. We simply cannot call ourselves a civilized society, while behind prison walls we're tossing the poor into isolation cells (Supermax) for years at a time. And, yes, it's always the poor. You will not see a wealthy person in Supermax, and that is not because wealthy people don't break the law. We need more people like Mary Buser to speak up so that, maybe, enough of us will get too angry to sit back in silence.
*I received an ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
April 3, 2016
Life is too short for bad books. This book is based in a different era. If you judged this book solely off the cover, you will be misled. It is about mental health in rikers island. She shares anecdotes of inmates she has encountered. The writing is not captivating and is forgettable. The stories are not shocking, and if you've watched MSNBC's Lockup, you haven't missed anything by reading this book.
September 22, 2017
This book has a lot to say about working in our prison system. But Mary Buser seems to be an exceptional employee. There are no characters like her in books written by people who have spent time in prison. The book is unfocused. Sometimes it seems to be a book about prisons and the people in them. Sometimes it is about the politics that establish Ms. Buser's working environment. A lot of the time it is about Ms. Buser personally. This book adds to the portrait of the inhumanity that pervades our prison system - people who have been tried and may very well be innocent are serving time in our prisons right along side of those who are guilty and sometimes dangerous. People are pressured to agree to plea bargains because our justice system is so hopelessly overloaded that the only way to establish a release date is to plead guilty and get a fixed sentence.
Prisons will probably never get proper funding. Prisons and their inmates are at the bottom of taxpayer priorities. Prisons are designed for security not for comfort or even humane living conditions. Prison personnel are hired to keep an unruly, often dangerous population under control the hard way - brute force. The prison personnel have little incentive to make life better for the inmate population - nobody really cares what happens to the imprisoned.
Ms. Buser is an incurable do-gooder. She is out there trying to improve mental health in Hades. She counsels men who are in jail serving time while they are awaiting their day in court so they can prove that they shouldn't be there in the first place. She does her best keep them calm and hopeful. She can't actually help them so she tries to make them feel better. She is promoted to chief assistant and her boss takes an extended leave of absence. Mary takes on both jobs. She also takes on the job of an administrator who has yet to be hired. She's a real trooper. Her boss is still not pleased. She expects Mary to handle three full time jobs and do them all extremely well. Mary is responsible for mental health in the solitary confinement unit. That forces her to confront the brutal inhumanity that is accepted practice in the prison systems. Even if the men locked into these concrete confinement cubes were guilty of heinous crimes the punishment is torture and a violation of the Constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. But as Mary discovers many, if not most of the people locked in solitary don't belong there. Still she has to help them endure the barbaric treatment by psychological strategies or by upping their meds. Anything as long as they don't hang themselves to end the misery. And Mary does her job until her bosses decide to hire somebody from outside instead of promoting her.
Prisons will probably never get proper funding. Prisons and their inmates are at the bottom of taxpayer priorities. Prisons are designed for security not for comfort or even humane living conditions. Prison personnel are hired to keep an unruly, often dangerous population under control the hard way - brute force. The prison personnel have little incentive to make life better for the inmate population - nobody really cares what happens to the imprisoned.
Ms. Buser is an incurable do-gooder. She is out there trying to improve mental health in Hades. She counsels men who are in jail serving time while they are awaiting their day in court so they can prove that they shouldn't be there in the first place. She does her best keep them calm and hopeful. She can't actually help them so she tries to make them feel better. She is promoted to chief assistant and her boss takes an extended leave of absence. Mary takes on both jobs. She also takes on the job of an administrator who has yet to be hired. She's a real trooper. Her boss is still not pleased. She expects Mary to handle three full time jobs and do them all extremely well. Mary is responsible for mental health in the solitary confinement unit. That forces her to confront the brutal inhumanity that is accepted practice in the prison systems. Even if the men locked into these concrete confinement cubes were guilty of heinous crimes the punishment is torture and a violation of the Constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. But as Mary discovers many, if not most of the people locked in solitary don't belong there. Still she has to help them endure the barbaric treatment by psychological strategies or by upping their meds. Anything as long as they don't hang themselves to end the misery. And Mary does her job until her bosses decide to hire somebody from outside instead of promoting her.
January 25, 2018
"And even in the cases of the very worst sociopath held in solitary, the question still remained: How could it be that a punishment that drives any human being--criminal or otherwise--to attempt suicide to escape it not be considered cruel and unusual? Years later the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture would state that solitary confinement beyond fifteen days should be absolutely prohibited. Yet instead of reducing or seeking alternatives to solitary confinement, the nation has been on a chilling march to build more. Supermax prisons, made up of solely of isolation cells for the supposedly high-risk prisoners, house human beings inside these cells--not for thirty, sixty or ninety days, but indefinitely, as a matter of routine."
I loved this book because the author, who had spent many years working on Rikers (starting as a young intern and working her way through the ranks), came across as very honest and dedicated to her patients (not "bodies, " as they were called by the Corrections Officers); while much of what she had to say was shocking, it wasn't dramatized or sensationalized (it didn't NEED to be!).
I have to say, though, when I finished the book, I almost felt exhausted FOR the author who had stared in the face of the hate and brutality inflicted on the inmates by those who were supposed to be protecting them. First, when Americans decided on prison as a deterrent to crime and, at the inception, a place that would "reform" people, the actual PRISON was the punishment. Prisoners are stripped of EVERYTHING! They lose access to family: parents, siblings and often times, CHILDREN, they have no possessions, not even underwear that aren't state-issued. THAT IS THE PUNISHMENT!!!! C.O.'s and wardens and everyone else in the good ole boys club do NOT have the right, based on the constitution. to take it upon themselves to make it even more inhuman. . This is made even worse, if that's even imaginable, for the prisoners who have mental health issues; it truly is inhumane and unbearable.
While Buser tried to stay positive and behave in a humane, even kind way, she was met with resistance EVERY step of the way. It seemed obvious to me, by the end of the book that there is just NO way to change the system while being a part of it. One would HAVE to find a way to leave Rikers for a different arena and work from the outside in. My question would be whether or not someone who had spent any amount of time within the walls of Rikers and saw and experienced what goes on there would still have the will and stamina to fight for justice for the inmates. I just don't see how it would be possible.
I loved this book because the author, who had spent many years working on Rikers (starting as a young intern and working her way through the ranks), came across as very honest and dedicated to her patients (not "bodies, " as they were called by the Corrections Officers); while much of what she had to say was shocking, it wasn't dramatized or sensationalized (it didn't NEED to be!).
I have to say, though, when I finished the book, I almost felt exhausted FOR the author who had stared in the face of the hate and brutality inflicted on the inmates by those who were supposed to be protecting them. First, when Americans decided on prison as a deterrent to crime and, at the inception, a place that would "reform" people, the actual PRISON was the punishment. Prisoners are stripped of EVERYTHING! They lose access to family: parents, siblings and often times, CHILDREN, they have no possessions, not even underwear that aren't state-issued. THAT IS THE PUNISHMENT!!!! C.O.'s and wardens and everyone else in the good ole boys club do NOT have the right, based on the constitution. to take it upon themselves to make it even more inhuman. . This is made even worse, if that's even imaginable, for the prisoners who have mental health issues; it truly is inhumane and unbearable.
While Buser tried to stay positive and behave in a humane, even kind way, she was met with resistance EVERY step of the way. It seemed obvious to me, by the end of the book that there is just NO way to change the system while being a part of it. One would HAVE to find a way to leave Rikers for a different arena and work from the outside in. My question would be whether or not someone who had spent any amount of time within the walls of Rikers and saw and experienced what goes on there would still have the will and stamina to fight for justice for the inmates. I just don't see how it would be possible.
October 15, 2025
15 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mary Buser details her account of working with jail populations on Riker’s Island, from requirements for her Master’s Program in Social Work, to hiring on fulltime after she is a more established social worker.
Through the story of her daily life in trying to help these prisoners, Mary helps us see the ins and outs of the prison system. Through her stories,we see the humanity of the prisoners themselves and the inhumanity of the system they are trapped in.
Although the book was published 10 years ago (2015) and took place during the 90’s, I found it relatable, heartbreaking, but still a message and hopeful eye opening awakening of the corruption inside the rules and legalities governing our prison system.
I was shocked and saddened at the changes St. Barnabas instituted for the purpose of cutting corners, horrifically caring more for public opinion and money than for the well being of our prisoners as individuals.
I am saddened at the scrubbing and expunging of factual records, redefining definitions to make themselves look good, not just distorting facts but intentionally misleading the public.
I am sure that things have only gotten worse over the last decade.
Many reviews were disappointed that Buser did not offer solutions for jail abuse. I think that by writing this Buser is bringing to light the humanity of all criminals, the path that gets them there and the systems that keep them bound up.
Awareness and public outrage is the first and most important step. When ordinary citizens wake up, say “No More” then and only then will real change happen.
Its not that we need to be told WHAT to do to improve our prisons. We first and foremost need to realize that the people in prison are first and foremost PEOPLE- not monsters, not unworthy, they are people! People with lives, with stories, worth saving, advocating and fighting for.
Once we as a collective wake up to that fact, the solutions will come!!! Buser did her part by helping us see the humanity and value of each individual prisoner!!
Highly Recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mary Buser details her account of working with jail populations on Riker’s Island, from requirements for her Master’s Program in Social Work, to hiring on fulltime after she is a more established social worker.
Through the story of her daily life in trying to help these prisoners, Mary helps us see the ins and outs of the prison system. Through her stories,we see the humanity of the prisoners themselves and the inhumanity of the system they are trapped in.
Although the book was published 10 years ago (2015) and took place during the 90’s, I found it relatable, heartbreaking, but still a message and hopeful eye opening awakening of the corruption inside the rules and legalities governing our prison system.
I was shocked and saddened at the changes St. Barnabas instituted for the purpose of cutting corners, horrifically caring more for public opinion and money than for the well being of our prisoners as individuals.
I am saddened at the scrubbing and expunging of factual records, redefining definitions to make themselves look good, not just distorting facts but intentionally misleading the public.
I am sure that things have only gotten worse over the last decade.
Many reviews were disappointed that Buser did not offer solutions for jail abuse. I think that by writing this Buser is bringing to light the humanity of all criminals, the path that gets them there and the systems that keep them bound up.
Awareness and public outrage is the first and most important step. When ordinary citizens wake up, say “No More” then and only then will real change happen.
Its not that we need to be told WHAT to do to improve our prisons. We first and foremost need to realize that the people in prison are first and foremost PEOPLE- not monsters, not unworthy, they are people! People with lives, with stories, worth saving, advocating and fighting for.
Once we as a collective wake up to that fact, the solutions will come!!! Buser did her part by helping us see the humanity and value of each individual prisoner!!
Highly Recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 18, 2018
I went into this book based solely on its title, thinking it would be a critique of the current prison industrial complex. The author spent time as a therapist on Rikers Island, a site of continuous controversy over its bureaucracy and the inhumane treatment of inmates. I also thought that this book would discuss solutions on what we could do as a society to reform jails and prisons. With both of these things in mind, I had high hopes for this book. However, this book does neither. What you get here is a therapist-in-training's daily account of her interactions with inmates and her frustration with system bureaucracy and its treatment of mentally ill inmates.
I certainly understand Ms. Buser's point in writing her story. It is a fact that many jail and prison inmates are mentally ill, and should be getting treatment and care for their conditions instead of jail time. However, this story is not particularly new or unique. We know that prisons aren't good places for the mentally ill--there's been numerous exposes already written and filmed on this subject. WhiIe I commend the author for staying so long on this job and her compassion for the inmates, I am a bit disappointed that the focus of this book wasn't more solution-based. If jail isn't the place for the mentally ill and locking them in asylums aren't either, then what then, is? Ms. Buser stops far ahead of offering any kind of insight into this problem. Also disheartening is that the events here took place in the 90s, yet she is telling this story over 20 years later (this book was published in 2015). Wouldn't this story have had much more of an impact 20 years ago? She does write an update of sorts in the epilogue, telling us very generally that "abuse on Rikers continues" but she cites few examples to back up this point.
The writing here is nothing special. I wouldn't be surprised if the author took her therapy notes and constructed them as the dialogue and events that you read about here. Overall, this is a very underwhelming story that could have been a lot more, had new insights been presented.
I certainly understand Ms. Buser's point in writing her story. It is a fact that many jail and prison inmates are mentally ill, and should be getting treatment and care for their conditions instead of jail time. However, this story is not particularly new or unique. We know that prisons aren't good places for the mentally ill--there's been numerous exposes already written and filmed on this subject. WhiIe I commend the author for staying so long on this job and her compassion for the inmates, I am a bit disappointed that the focus of this book wasn't more solution-based. If jail isn't the place for the mentally ill and locking them in asylums aren't either, then what then, is? Ms. Buser stops far ahead of offering any kind of insight into this problem. Also disheartening is that the events here took place in the 90s, yet she is telling this story over 20 years later (this book was published in 2015). Wouldn't this story have had much more of an impact 20 years ago? She does write an update of sorts in the epilogue, telling us very generally that "abuse on Rikers continues" but she cites few examples to back up this point.
The writing here is nothing special. I wouldn't be surprised if the author took her therapy notes and constructed them as the dialogue and events that you read about here. Overall, this is a very underwhelming story that could have been a lot more, had new insights been presented.
August 19, 2024
I thought this book was very interesting. As someone who majored in criminal justice, injustices in the criminal justice system have always been something I'm interested in. The author did a great job of highlighting the injustices that particularly impact minorities within the jail system. I thought that was an important point since minorities are incarcerated at higher rates in comparison to their White counterparts. Rikers Island is a notorious jail and the personal experience the author has with having had worked on Rikers Island for years was very valuable. Reading this book provided insight that could only be given by someone who has witnessed the inside operations of Rikers Island first hand.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about the book was that it was told with the focus remaining on mental health. The fields of criminal justice and psychology go hand in hand very often. Mental health could impact what leads people to jail and jail could cause someone's mental health to deteriorate. I found the author's discussion on solitary confinement to be very interesting. There are such serious repercussions for someone's mental health when they're placed in solitary confinement. It's only made worse by more and more days being added onto someone's stay in solitary confinement. With this, the author brings up a heavily debated topic which is whether or not solitary confinement is cruel and unusual punishment. Unfortunately, this book shows the fact that there's no simple fix to many of the injustices in the criminal justice system. For example, the high rate of cases that end in plea bargains simply because the court system works very slowly and many people don't have the funds to hire an attorney. Another thing I found fascinating was how the author mentioned her work with the female inmates. It was interesting since little attention is ever given to female offenders. It was also intriguing to learn more about the differences in behavior between the female and male inmates.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about the book was that it was told with the focus remaining on mental health. The fields of criminal justice and psychology go hand in hand very often. Mental health could impact what leads people to jail and jail could cause someone's mental health to deteriorate. I found the author's discussion on solitary confinement to be very interesting. There are such serious repercussions for someone's mental health when they're placed in solitary confinement. It's only made worse by more and more days being added onto someone's stay in solitary confinement. With this, the author brings up a heavily debated topic which is whether or not solitary confinement is cruel and unusual punishment. Unfortunately, this book shows the fact that there's no simple fix to many of the injustices in the criminal justice system. For example, the high rate of cases that end in plea bargains simply because the court system works very slowly and many people don't have the funds to hire an attorney. Another thing I found fascinating was how the author mentioned her work with the female inmates. It was interesting since little attention is ever given to female offenders. It was also intriguing to learn more about the differences in behavior between the female and male inmates.
December 24, 2017
Living in NYC for school, I had no idea this island existed right across from my university. Read this book in 6 hours-- spoiler is that if you're a softie you will cry from what you read from this. It's a great read for everyone and for me at least it continued to strengthen my compassion and love for those who are mentally ill, in jail, drug abuse etc. I think it's a must read for everyone.
July 18, 2018
An eye-opening & shocking account of writer's experiences working in NYC's most notorious jail complex. If you enjoy TV shows like Orange is the New Black, Oz, & Wentworth you will see that these shows are not exaggerated for dramatic effect. During NYC crack down on drug crimes, many mentally ill patients were trapped in this jail system and facing cruelty at the hands of the staff.
August 20, 2018
2.5
It’s more a daily account of her job.
She gets more and more frustrated by the end of the book and that got annoying.
Although there was a spots here and there about the abuse, it was not really the focus of the book so the subtitle is misleading. I was looking for more actual research into the building, organization, the abuse and DOC changes (or lack of).
It’s more a daily account of her job.
She gets more and more frustrated by the end of the book and that got annoying.
Although there was a spots here and there about the abuse, it was not really the focus of the book so the subtitle is misleading. I was looking for more actual research into the building, organization, the abuse and DOC changes (or lack of).
December 19, 2018
Good book and quick read. As someone in a helping industry, it was enjoyable to read about someone else’s hard work with an underprivileged population. While I don’t work I’m nyc anymore, I can relate to the environment.
I think that the subtitle of this book is a bit overwrought but you have to sell books I guess..
I think that the subtitle of this book is a bit overwrought but you have to sell books I guess..
December 27, 2017
It is so important to give the weak and disempowered a voice. Things should not be this way.
April 27, 2019
Very well-written, so discouraging
June 16, 2020
Author consistently uses ableist and racist language including the r and n words. I got bored hearing about how great she was very quickly. Do not recommend this book.
September 26, 2024
I feel like the title is misleading because its literally a memoir but I really loved this book and related a lot to the burnout that the author experiences
September 10, 2016
An interesting look at the inside of Rikers Island jail and some of the workings of America’s legal system during the nineties. Rikers housed (and possibly still does) people arrested for crimes that have not yet come to court, other than an initial hearing. The unfortunate inhabitants are those without the resources to afford a few hundred dollars in bail money. The solution – stick them in Rikers where they can stay indefinitely until their case comes to trial. Only - the legal system only has the capacity to try a small percentage of the cases that could come before them, so typically the vast majority of Rikers inhabitants are forced to take a deal on a sentence irrespective of their guilt and innocence to at least put an end date on their incarceration. Justice in the land of the free, is apparently dependent on one’s ability to pay. At the time Mayor Guiliani’s tough on crime approach led to an increase in the numbers caught and swept up.
Buser was a young social worker who was offered the opportunity to assist some of the women in the jail. She offered support and counselling to some of the most vulnerable of the women inside.
Progressing her career through the years to increased positions of responsibility and ever-increasing case-loads. Along the way, her employers changed with the renegotiation of the jail’s mental health contract and her paymaster’s were ever more focussed on running the service for profit. Somewhat inevitably, burn-out and fatigue followed and Mary Buser left the system. Operating under the pressures she had, I was kind of surprised how long she stood it.
Lockdown on Rikers is littered with case examples from the women and men she helped……. for the main part - drug addicts, prostitutes, teenage delinquents, gang members and others with mental health issues. There’s a lot of misery and misfortune on show. Poor choices in abundance, made by some of the poorest, ill-educated members of society mostly black and Hispanics.
Mary encounters numerous instances of staff brutality and violence, which are exacerbated by having to turn a blind eye to them for fear of placing the victims at risk of further punishing treatment.
I think the saddest part of the book is the fact that I can’t especially claim to be outraged or surprised by how the system functioned.
I couldn’t really claim to have enjoyed the book. Enjoyed or entertained are probably the wrong words. I was informed and educated and more than once, thanked the fates that sees me living a life that promised greater opportunity than many of the folks encountered within these pages. A sense of gratitude also to those who dedicate themselves to a vocational life serving those less fortunate.
Buser was a young social worker who was offered the opportunity to assist some of the women in the jail. She offered support and counselling to some of the most vulnerable of the women inside.
Progressing her career through the years to increased positions of responsibility and ever-increasing case-loads. Along the way, her employers changed with the renegotiation of the jail’s mental health contract and her paymaster’s were ever more focussed on running the service for profit. Somewhat inevitably, burn-out and fatigue followed and Mary Buser left the system. Operating under the pressures she had, I was kind of surprised how long she stood it.
Lockdown on Rikers is littered with case examples from the women and men she helped……. for the main part - drug addicts, prostitutes, teenage delinquents, gang members and others with mental health issues. There’s a lot of misery and misfortune on show. Poor choices in abundance, made by some of the poorest, ill-educated members of society mostly black and Hispanics.
Mary encounters numerous instances of staff brutality and violence, which are exacerbated by having to turn a blind eye to them for fear of placing the victims at risk of further punishing treatment.
I think the saddest part of the book is the fact that I can’t especially claim to be outraged or surprised by how the system functioned.
I couldn’t really claim to have enjoyed the book. Enjoyed or entertained are probably the wrong words. I was informed and educated and more than once, thanked the fates that sees me living a life that promised greater opportunity than many of the folks encountered within these pages. A sense of gratitude also to those who dedicate themselves to a vocational life serving those less fortunate.
March 1, 2017
Shocking and heavy - the stories are eye opening but important for everyone to read. Highly recommend to anyone interested in learning more about the criminal justice system and systemic issues in our society leading to mass incarceration of people of color and people from low-income communities.
April 9, 2016
After watching a TV segment on prisons in Germany, I wanted to read some first hand accounts of what was going on in American prisons. I want to figure out for myself if our punitive prison system does anything of value to rehabilitate its inmates.I chose this book as my first read and am very glad that I did. Mary Buser, a psychiatric social worker at Rikers, tells her stories in a straight-forward, factual yet caring way.
There were many things that stood out for me as I read about this huge complex that houses 10,000 and covers the entire island. Especially striking was the role that bail money played in the sequence of events. With thousands awaiting trials at the detention center, those without adequate representation often ended up incarcerated for minor infractions.
The inhumanity of long-term solitary confinement also became clear to me. I recently read that Rikers has eliminated solitary confinement for those under 21 years of age. I just wonder if we rehabilitate anyone by heaping on additional layers of punishment.
Mentally ill prisoners often don't have the tools they need to survive in this environment. The Mary Busers of the system are spread so thin and are at the mercy of the politicians who make decisions yet never step foot inside the facility. So much effort is directed at suicide prevention instead of programming that might benefit this specific population.
I continue to be appalled by the number of inmate beatings by guards. It seems as though these bullies relish their opportunities to bash the inmates that they deem deserving. Then they help each other to cover up the dirty deeds. They are not reported because the inmates and clean guards fear reprisal. I was glad to read that last month a trial was beginning for nine guards at Rikers who seriously hurt an inmate. I read a statistic that there were 4,074 reported beatings in 2014 in US prisons. So few are reported that this number is deceiving. This culture must make it very tough for the guards who want to do their jobs professionally.
Drug charges account for the majority of incarcerations at Rikers. There seems to be little differentiation when housing big time sellers and the low level runners. Are these incarcerations decreasing our national drug problem? What is the recidivism rate when they're released? What do we do to help those who have been locked up for long periods of time to transition back into the world?
I am left with so many questions. I have to wonder if our penal system is completely broken. I wonder if the German system really is as good as it looks at first glance? I wonder if the bureaucracy will continue to force out the good ones like Mary Buser? Still so much to learn. Do any of my Goodread friends have prison book suggestions for me?
There were many things that stood out for me as I read about this huge complex that houses 10,000 and covers the entire island. Especially striking was the role that bail money played in the sequence of events. With thousands awaiting trials at the detention center, those without adequate representation often ended up incarcerated for minor infractions.
The inhumanity of long-term solitary confinement also became clear to me. I recently read that Rikers has eliminated solitary confinement for those under 21 years of age. I just wonder if we rehabilitate anyone by heaping on additional layers of punishment.
Mentally ill prisoners often don't have the tools they need to survive in this environment. The Mary Busers of the system are spread so thin and are at the mercy of the politicians who make decisions yet never step foot inside the facility. So much effort is directed at suicide prevention instead of programming that might benefit this specific population.
I continue to be appalled by the number of inmate beatings by guards. It seems as though these bullies relish their opportunities to bash the inmates that they deem deserving. Then they help each other to cover up the dirty deeds. They are not reported because the inmates and clean guards fear reprisal. I was glad to read that last month a trial was beginning for nine guards at Rikers who seriously hurt an inmate. I read a statistic that there were 4,074 reported beatings in 2014 in US prisons. So few are reported that this number is deceiving. This culture must make it very tough for the guards who want to do their jobs professionally.
Drug charges account for the majority of incarcerations at Rikers. There seems to be little differentiation when housing big time sellers and the low level runners. Are these incarcerations decreasing our national drug problem? What is the recidivism rate when they're released? What do we do to help those who have been locked up for long periods of time to transition back into the world?
I am left with so many questions. I have to wonder if our penal system is completely broken. I wonder if the German system really is as good as it looks at first glance? I wonder if the bureaucracy will continue to force out the good ones like Mary Buser? Still so much to learn. Do any of my Goodread friends have prison book suggestions for me?
June 30, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Ms. Buser while getting her graduate degree, accepted a year long assignment to work in the Mental Health department in the women's jail on Riker's Island. She really felt she was doing a service to these woman and she was, she had developed group settings for the some of the women and really shined during her assignment. So much so that her mentor and supervisor in the department assured her that she would always have a job on Rikers.
Upon graduation, she took a few other jobs to see where she really wanted to be. She just couldn't get that feeling that she was being called to help the disenfranchised on Rikers. She still kept in touch with her mentor from before and they had an opening in one of the many men's jails. She accepted the position and couldn't have been more shocked at the difference between the jails. The CO's treated the inmates like they were subhuman. She saw so many men who would come in all bloody and beaten up because they just happened to walk by a group of CO's some of those people were sadist. She found out real quick that the inmates who were beaten by the CO's were terrified to speak up against them in fear of the consequences that would befall them. Of course, some of the beatings were inmate on inmate due to some broken inmate "rules". Ms. Buser's perseverance was beyond belief. She was finally moved over to the jail that housed solitary confinement wings and that's when things started to unravel for her. Her sheer grit and determination to try to make a difference while she was there were a perfect example of someone who cares about humanity.
I found this book to be an eye opener. It was very well written and she makes some several great points. The country has been talking about prison reform for a long time and with these corporate run SuperMax prisons springing up everywhere , I don't think they are what most of us would call reform.
Ms. Buser while getting her graduate degree, accepted a year long assignment to work in the Mental Health department in the women's jail on Riker's Island. She really felt she was doing a service to these woman and she was, she had developed group settings for the some of the women and really shined during her assignment. So much so that her mentor and supervisor in the department assured her that she would always have a job on Rikers.
Upon graduation, she took a few other jobs to see where she really wanted to be. She just couldn't get that feeling that she was being called to help the disenfranchised on Rikers. She still kept in touch with her mentor from before and they had an opening in one of the many men's jails. She accepted the position and couldn't have been more shocked at the difference between the jails. The CO's treated the inmates like they were subhuman. She saw so many men who would come in all bloody and beaten up because they just happened to walk by a group of CO's some of those people were sadist. She found out real quick that the inmates who were beaten by the CO's were terrified to speak up against them in fear of the consequences that would befall them. Of course, some of the beatings were inmate on inmate due to some broken inmate "rules". Ms. Buser's perseverance was beyond belief. She was finally moved over to the jail that housed solitary confinement wings and that's when things started to unravel for her. Her sheer grit and determination to try to make a difference while she was there were a perfect example of someone who cares about humanity.
I found this book to be an eye opener. It was very well written and she makes some several great points. The country has been talking about prison reform for a long time and with these corporate run SuperMax prisons springing up everywhere , I don't think they are what most of us would call reform.
December 19, 2015
I won this ARC of Lockdown on Rikers in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. The author, Mary Buser, tells us her shocking experiences working as a psychologist in Rikers Mental Health facilities. She should be highly commended for writing this informative book. This book needs to be read by every American!
The number one reason most people are in jail is due to drugs. They are either users, buyers, dealers, or transportation agents who are known as "mules".
If you cannot afford bail, guilty or not, you could spend years waiting for a trial date with a court appointed attorney. These attorneys are so busy they don't have time for all their cases. They encourage detainees to take the plea bargain. Oftentimes this includes the felony charge that goes along with it. Eventually almost everyone takes the plea just to get out of jail! It is not a safe place to be.
Today many mentally ill people are also in jail because most state mental hospitals are being closed. The mental reforms that Dorothea Dix fought so hard to implement in this country are now being done away with. Why? The profit margin for running these hospitals is just not enough. Health care in jail is also getting worse due to the same cost cutting system.
Ms. Buser worked in Mental Health at Rikers counseling depressed, suicidal, drug-addicted, and psychotic inmates. She gives us the inside story from these women and men, and from her own observations. Mental Health staff are considered "guests" of the Correction Officers. They are advised not to state objections to any of the wrongs they see. Such as the multiple beatings of inmates that randomly occur. Yes, injustice is notorious in jail.
Read this book today! We all need to be aware of what is going on in American jails. It could happen to you or a loved one!!
The number one reason most people are in jail is due to drugs. They are either users, buyers, dealers, or transportation agents who are known as "mules".
If you cannot afford bail, guilty or not, you could spend years waiting for a trial date with a court appointed attorney. These attorneys are so busy they don't have time for all their cases. They encourage detainees to take the plea bargain. Oftentimes this includes the felony charge that goes along with it. Eventually almost everyone takes the plea just to get out of jail! It is not a safe place to be.
Today many mentally ill people are also in jail because most state mental hospitals are being closed. The mental reforms that Dorothea Dix fought so hard to implement in this country are now being done away with. Why? The profit margin for running these hospitals is just not enough. Health care in jail is also getting worse due to the same cost cutting system.
Ms. Buser worked in Mental Health at Rikers counseling depressed, suicidal, drug-addicted, and psychotic inmates. She gives us the inside story from these women and men, and from her own observations. Mental Health staff are considered "guests" of the Correction Officers. They are advised not to state objections to any of the wrongs they see. Such as the multiple beatings of inmates that randomly occur. Yes, injustice is notorious in jail.
Read this book today! We all need to be aware of what is going on in American jails. It could happen to you or a loved one!!
October 28, 2015
I received a free copy of the book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
The title of this book is misleading for anyone that has even a rudimentary knowledge of the prison and jail system in the United States. "Shocking" isn't the word I would have chosen.
Mary E. Buser writes about her time at Rikers Island from beginning as an intern to her resignation. She seemed quite naive and optimistic about the inner workings of a large urban jail at the start. Perhaps this was because the book takes place between the years of 1995 to 2000 and we didn't know as much as we do today about the abuse and injustice in the system, especially at that time.
While pointing out all the wrong, especially in the mental health arena at the jail, Buser stops short of offering realistic alternatives. Again, this may be because the events of the book were from 15 years ago. Maybe times have changed, maybe they have not, but that isn't addressed in the book. There is a short update in the epilogue of the book, but it's hardly elaborate and only points out that abuse "continues" at the jail, while citing two examples.
Overall, I was underwhelmed by the content of the book. It was more a personal memoir of Buser, than a look at the Rikers jail system and handling of the mentally ill. Nothing new was offered or presented.
The title of this book is misleading for anyone that has even a rudimentary knowledge of the prison and jail system in the United States. "Shocking" isn't the word I would have chosen.
Mary E. Buser writes about her time at Rikers Island from beginning as an intern to her resignation. She seemed quite naive and optimistic about the inner workings of a large urban jail at the start. Perhaps this was because the book takes place between the years of 1995 to 2000 and we didn't know as much as we do today about the abuse and injustice in the system, especially at that time.
While pointing out all the wrong, especially in the mental health arena at the jail, Buser stops short of offering realistic alternatives. Again, this may be because the events of the book were from 15 years ago. Maybe times have changed, maybe they have not, but that isn't addressed in the book. There is a short update in the epilogue of the book, but it's hardly elaborate and only points out that abuse "continues" at the jail, while citing two examples.
Overall, I was underwhelmed by the content of the book. It was more a personal memoir of Buser, than a look at the Rikers jail system and handling of the mentally ill. Nothing new was offered or presented.
February 3, 2016
Buser's writing is incredibly easy to read -- it's clear that she is a natural storyteller. We follow Buser from her early days on Rikers Island, in New York, when she is an idealistic intern (to use her own description) to her final days on the island, when she knows it is time for her to move on. During that time, Buser works with both incarcerated men and women, and sees that almost exclusively people are in Rikers (a notoriously dangerous jail) because they can't afford bail. Most are detainees, awaiting trial. Some, certainly, are innocent. Some, certainly, would be better served by appropriate mental healthcare facilities.
But as those involved in the prison reform movement know, jails and prisons are now the primary places people who need mental health support are housed. This is ludicrous, something that Buser seems to acknowledge by examining, and re-examining, a Dostoevsky quote, "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons."
Needless to say, Buser is critical of the quality of care, the treatment of prisoners, and the treatment of civilians with Rikers -- and within the broken windows theory of policing that was so championed by Rudolph Giuliani.
4.5 stars is probably more realistically what I'd rate this, but since that's not an option, I'm giving it 5. It's a powerful read and especially important for those who don't understand why prison reform is important, necessary work.
But as those involved in the prison reform movement know, jails and prisons are now the primary places people who need mental health support are housed. This is ludicrous, something that Buser seems to acknowledge by examining, and re-examining, a Dostoevsky quote, "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons."
Needless to say, Buser is critical of the quality of care, the treatment of prisoners, and the treatment of civilians with Rikers -- and within the broken windows theory of policing that was so championed by Rudolph Giuliani.
4.5 stars is probably more realistically what I'd rate this, but since that's not an option, I'm giving it 5. It's a powerful read and especially important for those who don't understand why prison reform is important, necessary work.
January 22, 2016
Having regularly visited a House of Corrections and read other, similarly themed books, nothing I read here was actually shocking. That's not a good thing. Sure, I expected to hear about how corrections officers try to make the best of a bad situation, and how they don't have the time/inclination to treat everyone like a special snowflake. The tales of drug use and its associated violence were also not surprising. I was aware of the concept of solitary confinement, and understood its use in the justice system, but this is where Buser manages to deliver her ah hah! moment. People do not deal with solitary confinement well. Correctional facilities use solitary confinement as punishment. Mercifully, by the end of the book, maximum amount of time allotted for any given person to spend in solitary confinement is strictly limited. But here's the rub: Rikers is just a jail, not a prison. Most of the people there have not been convicted of the crime yet- they have only been accused. The only reason they are in Rikers is because they lack the funds to immediately post bail. They are being punished (punished terribly) only because they are poor.
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