Caged

by Paul Falk

Rehabilitation within the California penal system had proven to be a complete failure. Prison life was nothing more than a breeding ground for gangs, drugs and sexual assaults. Steps to repair this outdated, broken system should have taken place a long time ago. A general consensus had finally been reached that it wasn’t too late to do something about it now. It was time to take action.

For a number of years the state legislature and top prison officials have kept their eyes fixed on the latest advancements into the field of artificial intelligence. They were no longer clunky tin cans that moved on wheels or shaky legs. The most recent generation of droids closely resembled their human counterparts to a tee. Super intelligence was an added bonus. Their integration into the prison system might prove to hold the answer that had escaped the reach of rehabilitation for countless generations. There'd be only one way to find out.

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2018

About the author

My Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/paulfalk
Republished Reviews: Open Books Publisher (UK)
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Reviews

[Paul Falk]

The core of the California penal system had been exposed for what it was - broken. In the past 30 years the rate of incarceration had skyrocketed to an astounding 1,000%. It was no wonder how prisons had become grossly overpopulated with many operating at 200% above maximum capacity spawning a breeding ground for contempt and violence. It'd been a never-ending battle.

It was no secret that the failure in the jails had been attributed to the commingling of inmates. That'd been when gangs, drugs, violence and sexual assaults had taken center stage. The only realistic option left was to change the way the system operated. Fix it.

The narrative takes a daring leap into the future with the introduction of humanoids working in prisons. No longer were they clunky robots on wheels or shaky legs. The latest generation looks just like us and are gifted with superintelligence.

It'd been decided that inmates would no longer have contact with each other. Correctional officers have become a thing of the past. Not everyone in society accepted this radical change to prison reform. Battle lines had been drawn by those opposed to the admittance of non-humans in prisons.

Many turned out in great numbers to protest their objections. Some of these antagonistic forces threatened to do anything in their power to see that it'd be stopped, even if it meant taking the law into their own hands. And they did.

[David Lucero · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the future America’s penal system is far from changed, which is to say, it remains broken. Violent criminals are sentenced to long-term sentences and co-mingle with non-violent criminals. Inside prison walls inmates face gang fights, drug dealers, and rape. By the time they are released back to polite society their skills in the trades that got them locked up in the first place are honed, and they are even more violent than when first imprisoned.

Jack Toback is a veteran prison warden who knows how the system works. He enjoys his work, but like most people who enjoy what they do, he is frustrated over how little he can do to make things better. Then one day he receives a call from the governor of California. He has been selected to run America’s newest, first-operated prison where the staff is comprised of droids! He is told each inmate will have a droid for a cell mate. There is to be no prisoner interaction.

The idea is to prevent inmates from large gatherings, where gang fights and drug deals usually take place, not to forget rape. The droids are human in appearance, and programmed to know everything about their cell mate. They are intelligent, full of a wealth of information, and programmed to educate and rehabilitate the inmates.

What could be a better idea?!

Jack turns over his former prison to Irene, a woman whom he grows to like very much. Leaving Sacramento and heading to Pasadena where the new prison is located, he embarks on a journey where the future of our penal system appears to finally be on the right track. He is trained on how the supercomputer programs and controls the droids, how to feed the droids information, and learns the capabilities of his droid guards. He is amazed over how human the droids appear. They are strong, capable of conversation, and have super hearing and eyesight abilities. “I want these guys on my team,” Jack tells a trainer, after witnessing them bench press 2,000 lbs. of weight.

But there are those who oppose authority arguing using droids is a bad idea. Threats are made. Contingency plans are in place to protect the new prison system. For all intents and purposes, Jack has nothing to worry about…. Or does he?

Jack does not realize it at the time, but those opposing the new penal system program of staffing cell mates with droids have powerful friends in place, and they know how to use them. Six months into the job Jack is reminded of the old adage, ‘Nothing is always as it appears.’

This book is full of surprises. It takes place in the future, but a future which we can relate with. Our descendants face similar problems and ambitions as we do. I found that refreshing and able to connect with the characters. Many of us ignore the penal system in America, and this book opens our eyes to how those in office struggle to create new ways to improve it. After all, it was not so long ago when TV was airing shows like ‘Prison Nation,’ depicting how more and more fellow Americans are winding up behind bars. The book is entertaining and provides a good piece of education for the reader about the importance of our penal system in America, and how it needs more attention from government officials.

The story gets tense, and even exciting as the new warden, Jack, takes over ‘Droid 1,’ the name of the first new prison. Things go well for him. He’s got his 20-year pension locked in, he’s dating a beautiful woman named Irene, who takes over his previous prison assignment, and his future could not be brighter. But then a dangerous incident takes place which turns his life upside down. Before long Jack is left to wonder who came up with the saying, “If it looks too good to be true, it isn’t.” The author did a great job with this story!

‘An intellectual novel of suspense!’

[David Dowdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Falk paints an interesting and surreal picture of a problem and the result of the decision made to address the problem. I would give too much away to get into the details. Let’s just say, the adage “be careful what you ask for” applies here.

Many of us have learned it’s always better to apply simple solutions to problems. We’ve had the misfortune of throwing money at a problem expecting a quick fix. We’ve seen the results of that. Then there are those pesky little things called unintended consequences, when you think you’ve licked a problem only to find you’ve created another one.

With some problems, you have to consider whether you have moral authority to come along with your godly solutions. You can’t forget that your problem-solving will affect people. This is a good story that will hit you in the face when you think about how awful the results can be when people don’t think through their decisions.

We have more technology, power, and capital than ever before available to "solve" problems. The question is, should we use it?

Great story and cover art as well!

[Milana Marsenich · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’d be only me here with a pulse.” ~ Paul Falk’s novella “Caged” is an intriguing story about a futuristic correctional system. Jack Toback doesn’t quite know what he’s signed up for when he is promoted to warden at a new prison, a prison run by droids. The year is 2132 and the new, first of its kind, California prison is designed to counter the failed system that allowed gangs, drugs, and sexual assaults to prevail. It is designed to productively engage the inmates, allow them to share their deepest thoughts, and rethink their destructive tendencies. Besides the inmates, Jack Toback will be the only human being there. Falk creates a world that is wholly believable and detailed in its presentation, a prison system designed to honestly rehabilitate the inmates, so that they may go back into society as reliable, productive citizens. I couldn’t help but think, Yes, why not? Except that the title kept working on me, generating a sense of doom. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it did, it did so with devastating consequences. Jack Toback is a really nice guy. He is funny and kind. He genuinely wants to do good work in the world and make the prison system better for the inmates. His relationship with Irene, his good friend, is sweet and filled with well-intended moments. It is this very good-heartedness in Jack and the desire to do good work that has him “caged”, lending a double meaning to the title. I couldn’t put “Caged” down and read it in one sitting. It is an interesting, light-hearted, laugh out loud at times, easy to read, suspense driven novella. I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it.

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short fun novella with elements of sci-fi, horror, crime and dystopian fiction. It follows the tale of Jack Toback who comes form a long line of prison wardens. He has dreams of revolution for real rehabilitation for prisoners in the penal system and is delighted when he gets his dream job of prison warden at a revolutionary prison run by droids - artificial intelligence. The droids have been designed to act as companions to prisoners and eliminate gang culture and violence in the prison system.
However someone does not like these droids and has a plan to stop them!! Will Jack have his dreams dashed or can he overcome this obstacle?
I really enjoyed this story, it's very quirky and full of fun!

[Kathleen Ballantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a well- written, quick, fun, keep you in suspense kind of book, then Paul Faul's - Caged - is it. Jack Toback comes from a family line of Wardens and now he has the opportunity to run a California prison in the year 2132. Only this facility is different from what we know now. Instead of the prisoners having another violent cellmate, they have a droid. The purpose is to keep down the crime and rehabilitate the prisoners at a quicker rate. All sounds like it makes perfect sense. But then the unexpected happens. You'll have to read it to find out what Paul's imaginative mind came up with. You won't be sorry.

[Samantha Henthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great idea for a book! A future prison in California, a solution to the cell-mate gang problems, but is it a solution? I can't say anymore without spoiling the plot! Really enjoyed this book, it reads a bit like a Stephen King but obviously with its own style and original idea.

[Balroop Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Caged” by Paul Falk is set in future (2132) and raises an important issue of prison reforms, which have never received any serious attention. Focusing on the rehabilitation of inmates, warden Jack Toback, an ardent supporter of much awaited change, jumps at the position he was offered by the Governor of California to run the new Droid facility in Southern California.

While reading about his training and the implementation of reforms, I wondered why this book was entitled ‘Caged’ as the story focuses on freedom from interaction with hardened criminals who drag their cellmates into the world of crime but the warden wants to return better individuals to society. As the story turns murky, the reality dawns who is actually caged! A fast-paced plot, it did throw up some questions: Will humanoids be accepted? Is mankind ready for drastic changes? An eye-opener, this book makes a subtle comment on human instincts and behavior, which have remained unchanged despite galloping technological changes luring us to work toward the betterment of those who remain skeptical.

Falk’s characters stand out and remain as humane as ever even in twenty second century. Self-belief, commitment to work and success remain as valuable as ever. Love has not lost its sheen. Hope remains alive and mentors goodness despite dark clouds hovering around humanity. I enjoyed reading this book. Highly recommended!

[R.C. C Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dystopia future in the vein of Black Mirror

In a futuristic California, we are introduced to a first of its kind prison almost exclusively ran by artificial intelligence.
When the penal system is exposed for the disaster that it is, an revolutionary idea is introduced to combat the gangs and drugs that fill the lives of your average prisoners. All under the watchful eye of career warden Jack Toback. A good man who just wants to do right by those in his charge. But as human guards are replaced by near perfect synthetic humans, not everybody is happy about it, bringing problems of a different kind.
Its a good novella with an interesting premise that could easily be expanded into a longer book or even a series. Recommended for lovers of sci-fi and dystopia thrillers

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caged is a futuristic view of a California prison system. At the beginning, the protagonist, Jack Toback, has just been rewarded for his years of service in the penal system by being made warden of the country's first android-manned prison. It seems a great idea—costs would be cut in managing the unit set to hold thousands of inmates, and the two parts of prisoners' days, the dining hall and yard time, where most trouble happens would be eliminated. Instead, an android assigned to each prisoner would bring food to the cell and exercise time would be such that inmates never had contact with each other. In testing, the androids showed exemplary success in actually rehabilitating the inmates. Jack was impressed and guardedly hopeful in his new position, despite protests and even threats made against the prison. But really, what could go wrong? (Go wrong, go wrong…) In the end, Jack turns out to be as programmed as the androids. Is this good or bad? Read Caged and determine for yourself.

In spite of a few misfires in punctuation and wording, I found that the short story went fast. Mr. Falk went into fine print type detail at a few points that weren't necessary to the story, but all in all, I enjoyed this example of his work. He knows how to tell a story.

[Jack Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novella written in the first person. The story reads like an official report. But this is okay as the protagonist, Jack Toback, is a government servant brought up through the ranks of a USA prison service. He makes some small attempts at humour, which though few, fit into his personality.

He is put in charge of a revolutionary correctional facility run by robots and there is a great deal of description about their development and how they work. Although the narrative is set in the future it is very relevant to the current time as the use of electronic technology and robots are becoming more integrated into our society. The story left a number of issues unresolved. This is not a unique or bad idea as it keeps the reader thinking about the various forces influencing the outcome of the automated prison experiment.

There is certainly potential here to expand the plot further and develop it into a novel or as a series of shorter stories. The detailed style of writing may not be to everyone's taste but it locked me in to turning the pages of my Kindle right to the end. I can recommend it to any lover of dystopian fiction.