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A Doctor on the Inside: From the County Jail to the Supermax

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Get both of Dr. William Wright’s best-selling, award-winning books in a single
volume!

Maximum Insecurity chronicles Wright’s true-life metamorphosis from suburban
ear surgeon to life as the sole physician at Colorado’s maximum-security prison.

Jailhouse Doc follows Wright’s transition from prison medicine to running the
clinic at the county jail. Should be easy right? Not on your life.

Told with a humor and biting wit, both books reveal the real inside operation of
correctional facilities.

449 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2016

57 people are currently reading
143 people want to read

About the author

William Wright

4 books126 followers
I was an ear surgeon in Indianapolis before burning out and trying to retire. A second career fell into my lap with a job as the physician at the Colorado State Penitentiary, the state's maximum-security prison.

The experience was weird enough for me to write a book about it, Maximum Insecurity. If you've always wondered what really goes on in a supermax prison, especially trying to practice medicine in one, check it out at http://www.WilliamWrightBooks.com.

A sequel about being the medical director at the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center (the county jail) was published 12/14. Come see it at http://www.WilliamWrightBooks.com.

Now, here's the official bio:

A resident of Colorado Springs, William “Bill” Wright, MD earned his medical degree at the University of Michigan. After working as an ear surgeon for thirty years, Bill spent eight years practicing correctional medicine with the Colorado Department of Corrections. He has published over fifty medical journal articles. Maximum Insecurity is the light-hearted adventure of Wright’s career practicing medicine in a supermax correctional facility.

A commercial artist and private pilot, Bill has three black belts and is a certified instructor of Aikido and Tae Kwan Do. He is married, with four children and six grandchildren.

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5 stars
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61 (30%)
3 stars
56 (27%)
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14 (6%)
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4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
6 reviews
September 5, 2019
Read this book because my last two years as a nurse (before retiring) I worked in a jail. Dr Wright has written the truth. I dont remember as many amusing experiences. He did tell about the challenges and of being a healthcare provider in a limited situation. Unlike the common belief no one who is locked up is having a good time and it can happen to anyone. He brings out many issues around the way the correction industry (make no mistake it is an industry!) in this country works. The contrast with the Swedish system is eye opening. I am glad I read both books,they brought back many memories.
Profile Image for Phil Cobb.
Author 1 book
December 26, 2017
More interesting than I thought it would be, considering that a doctor's interaction with prisoners would necessarily be limited. His psychological observations of the different prisoner-patients was telling as to the very different approach they have as to the purpose of medicine and a physician--trying to con the doctor into prescribing drugs they preferred to have or using the bureaucratic policies of the prison medical system to their advantage.
2 reviews1 follower
May 7, 2017
Don't pass these stories up!

Great insight into the workings of the criminal justice system. Very well written, and the subtle sense of humor makes what could have been a very depressing topic much more engaging. Got the boxed set...couldn't wait to get back to these books!
18 reviews1 follower
May 8, 2017
Great book. Wasn't sure what to expect, but it's actually informative.

Couldn't put this book down. I would highly recommend reading this as it's a real eye opener. Don't miss this one.
Profile Image for Kate.
379 reviews47 followers
July 23, 2017
problematic for all the reasons one would imagine writing about incarcerated patients would be.
Profile Image for Heather.
71 reviews
November 20, 2018
Super interesting if you can get past his attitude in the beginning. Really bugged me how he talked about inmates. It was overkill
Profile Image for Emily Nelson.
49 reviews12 followers
August 5, 2016
Fabulous, funny, informative, must read book!

This (these! are two of the best written, chock full of information, and more books than I have EVER read. The first book was Doctor Wright as the ON!Y physician for Colorado's Supermax prison. I was up until 3:30 AM reading the first part. I was laughing out loud, groaning, astounded, and so much more. My husband is a surgeon with a background in one of his specialties. He asked me what I was reading that was making me laugh. It's rare when I laugh out loud when reading a book, even a HUMOR BOOK. I read constantly, mostly world history or true crime if it is well written. I'm picky! I could not believe Dr. Wright's patients, or patience! Thank God for him!. My husband burned out too, and after four months at home, I was ready to strangle him. He was bored, but 8 hour surgeries for less pay and professional jealously, and MORE, he'd had enough. Guess who had not had a Urologist in 2 years? THE VA! My husband is such a good surgeon, he's also an Andrologist, and his patients love him. But making a neo bladder out of intestine was grueling, and more. We made the stupidest decision of our lives, and moved to Hawaii, for almost 7 years. He thought he was needed! His son lived on the Big Island. My best friend lives on Maui! Great right? Paradise right? Nooooooo. So after trying so long (he was recruited by crooks), we staggered back to Ohio. thank God we made it. However, Columbus was not the Columbus we left behind. I did not recognize my own hometown! So, after "fast tracking" my husband was asked to work for the VA, in Chillicothe, Ohio. Good pay, no call, no other Urologists to compete with, he jumped. I am his third wife. He had married his high school sweetheart. He had a brief rebound marriage, waited a few years when that did not work, and I've been with him for twenty years! He took up flying, race waking, rejoined the ANG as a flight surgeon. (We met after he had done all this.) We moved to Chillicothe, found a home in two weeks, and he loves it!.Tough surgeries are sent elsewhere. No more standing for hours and hours, and horrible EMR systems. No more ( or rarely) backbiting. Stupid meetings? Of course! However, practicing medicine is SO BAD if a doc is seeking private practice. Dr. Wright, your books are incredible. You think like I think. I have a dry sense of humor and sarcasm; well, you're better. My Father is a retired homicide detective. Amazing coincidences here. My husband is telling everyone he knows about your books. On the rare occasion I did not know exactly what you meant, he did. He's a Urologist, he's seen it all. I won't go into details.
3 reviews
February 14, 2017
Great read

Funny and a real look at our prison system. I liked the way he was able to treat his patients fairly without regard to the crimes they had committed. He made me laugh out loud at the things his patients wanted and the complaints his patients had.
Profile Image for richard mueller.
8 reviews
September 11, 2016
Doc on the inside

An easy read and I'm sure that to anyone unfamiliar with prison life it may even be a difficult book to put down. As one who has spent time in all levels of incarceration I feel obligated to say that someone as arrogant, obnoxious, and unsympathetic as this doctor does not belong in a position of power behind prison walls. Inmates that are the bumbling idiots portrayed in this book are few and rare. I doubt anyone on the outside could overcome the roadblocks put up in trying to obtain medical treatment in a state facility. Everything from food to housing to medical are meant to degrade, humiliate, and shatter self esteem. These are all real people, with families, hopes, and dreams who laugh and love and cry. Just like the doc himself. They may deserve to be in prison but they don't deserve to have the head of medical look down on them as if they are a piece of shit.
Profile Image for Sarah.
3 reviews1 follower
April 19, 2022
Great Read

This book, and his other, Maximum Insecurity, were such great reads. Not only that, they were incitful, funny, and engaging. I would highly recommend them to anyone with an interest in a world most know nothing about, or anyone with a curiosity of thing beyond their wheelhouse.
Profile Image for Nikky Southerland.
254 reviews7 followers
August 19, 2016
If you're looking for a fairly unusual dose of prison writing, this will probably scratch that itch. There's not especially any sort of cohesive theme to the book(s), and the stories tend to become repetitive fairly quickly.
Profile Image for Leah Jones.
4 reviews
April 15, 2017
Interesting Book

Leah jones
This book rambles some and distressed. The author injects humor in places which both illustrates his point and helps to lighten the subject.
Profile Image for Carol Ann.
61 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2017
An enjoyable read

These books were recommended to me by my brother, who happens to be a " prison doc" too. He was correct in saying they were a fast, enjoyable read, and would give an insight into his own work experience. I found it interesting that I saw similarities in Dr Wright's sense of humor and outlooks to my brother's. Wonder if it comes with the territory...
Fans of Locked Up: Raw or Jail will enjoy these books as well.
150 reviews2 followers
May 1, 2017
Go Dr. Wright!!!

I am familiar with the Territorial and Women's facilities, as well as Canon City and Colorado Springs, so I was able to picture parts of and relate to many of the stories. Dr. Wright put such a comic take on sad stories. It shows that you have to have the ability to see humor to survive in situations that would otherwise sap everything out of you. I admire his ability to set boundaries when working with people who often try to manipulate situations and people around them. It's how know how to survive. I highly recommend both books, and find Dr. Wright and his presentation of the medical world in the Colorado prison and El Paso County jail system to be accurate. The jail system has, hopefully, been investigated and exposed and cleaned up. It's disgraceful when a sheriff can run corruption over a system and people be afraid to lose their jobs.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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