Convicted and Condemned: The Politics and Policies of Prisoner Reentry

by Keesha M. Middlemass

Winner, W. E. B. DuBois Distinguished Book Award presented by the National Conference of Black Political Scientists

Examines the lifelong consequences of a felony conviction through the compelling words of former prisoners

Felony convictions restrict social interactions and hinder felons’ efforts to reintegrate into society. The educational and vocational training offered in many prisons are typically not recognized by accredited educational institutions as acceptable course work or by employers as valid work experience, making it difficult for recently-released prisoners to find jobs. Families often will not or cannot allow their formerly incarcerated relatives to live with them. In many states, those with felony convictions cannot receive financial aid for further education, vote in elections, receive welfare benefits, or live in public housing. In short, they are not treated as full citizens, and every year, hundreds of thousands of people released from prison are forced to live on the margins of society.

Convicted and Condemned explores the issue of prisoner reentry from the felons’ perspective. It features the voices of formerly incarcerated felons as they attempt to reconnect with family, learn how to acclimate to society, try to secure housing, find a job, and complete a host of other important goals. By examining national housing, education and employment policies implemented at the state and local levels, Keesha Middlemass shows how the law challenges and undermines prisoner reentry and creates second-class citizens.

Even if the criminal justice system never convicted another person of a felony, millions of women and men would still have to figure out how to reenter society, essentially on their own. A sobering account of the after-effects of mass incarceration, Convicted and Condemned is a powerful exploration of how individuals, and society as a whole, suffer when a felony conviction exacts a punishment that never ends.

Genres: Politics, Race, Sociology, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published June 27, 2017

Reviews

[Melody Hession-Sigmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is attempting to provide a policy construct that can effect reform across larger systems. To this end, she utilizes disability theory. Her proposition for the need is helpful, though provokes difficult questions that might beg for an alternative theory to apply here. Most interesting to me was her assessment of the physicality of incarceration and the embodiment of the experience during and beyond after-care.

[Andrew Christopherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, recommended to me by a college professor to expand on my education; while it took some getting used to in the begging Middlemass has a prose that doesn’t mince, and works very well with the subject matter

[Vic Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

got a little repetitive?

[Briawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this book for class. It was very informative and provided great in site on what the reentry process is like. However I skimmed a lot, there were some very repetitive parts.

[Mills College Library]

364.80974 M6279 2017