The Long Term: Resisting Life Sentences Working Toward Freedom

by Alice Kim (Editor), Erica Meiners (Editor), Jill Petty (Editor)

The voices of those experiencing life in the long term are often not heard. This collection of essays and personal stories from the people most impacted by long-term incarceration in Statesville Prison bring light to the crisis of mass incarceration and the human cost of excessive sentencing. Compelling, moving narratives from those most affected by the prison industrial complex make a compelling case that death by incarceration is cruel and unusual punishment.

 

Implemented in the 1990’s and 2000’s harsh sentencing policies, commonly labeled “tough on crime,” became a bipartisan political agenda. These policies had real impacts on families and communities, particularly as they caused the removal of many non-white and poor individuals from cities like Chicago.

The Long Term brings into the light what has previously been hidden, a counter-narrative to the tough on crime agenda and an urgent plea for a more humane criminal justice system. The book is a critical contribution to the current debate around challenging the mass incarceration and ending mandatory sentencing, especially for non-violent offenders.

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, Legal, Justice

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2018

Reviews

[Maya Bon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of essays, stories, poetry, and art is a burst of light, a breath of fresh air, a motivated step towards the future we all deserve. The perspectives shared by each contributor provided lessons and insights that I carry with me. Approaching the complexity of mass incarceration through the lens of the personal is a daunting task, but one which Kim expertly accomplished.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most powerful essay collection I've read since the Bridge Called Me Back -- while the first section took a little bit to muscle through, I found the section on long-term sentencing/illusions of safety as well as the Feminist Freedom section on confronting misogyny to really draw me in. I loved the integration of writings from wrongly convicted individuals, folks currently in prison or those who have now re-entered, family members of those serving life sentences, alongside activists and scholars, as well as works of art, musical playlists, and poetry. Whoever edited it did an amazing job. Given the gravity of life sentences on the effect on so many lives, you might think this book would be depressing but in fact there where many pieces that brought me profound hope, reminded me of the need for joy and the power of community, and really showed the power of people coming together to push back against injustice. The end also includes the platform written by a coalition of formerly incarcerated individuals which was super powerful to read as a manifesto against mass incarceration. Was not at all surprised to see a whole section pushing back against crimmigration and deportation but still it was powerful to see that both included and integrated into the broader abolition movement.

[Neudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a person that works in the legal or criminal justice field especially ( or just a living, breathing human) I HIGHLY recommend this book. Seriously its about $5 as an ebook on Haymarket Books & wayyy underpriced if you ask me in contrast to the amount of knowledge & passion that you’ll get from it.

It took me twice as long as it normally would take to read this book because of the amount of time I spent annotating & marveling at the amount of emotion, power, & inspiration this book emits.

This book is presented as a powerful collection of essays, poetry, personal reflections, art, love stories, & conversations.

At its core this work is a call for an abolitionist vision advocating for the dismantling of the institutions & practices that hurt us & to instead call for the willingness to imagine & work to create new freedoms that move beyond reformist limitations & build strong communities that don’t rely on the state violence that is inherent in systems of imprisonment & policing.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book to read!

[marki]

yes yes yes!!! a collection of essays, poems, interviews, articles etc on fighting life sentences in prison. an absolute must read for anyone dedicated to abolition.

[Molly Roach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew. This one took me a while to get through because I wanted to savor every word included in its pages. This was such an incredible read from front to back. It was so informative and so inclusive and really lifted voices of incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated people, and their loved ones. Getting to read about all aspects of the PIC directly from people that have been involved is on a whole other level. Please give this a read.

[Mills College Library]

365.973 L8495 2018

[c · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! Helped educate me not only on the effects of long-term incarceration but the devastations to the community as well. Formatted in a digestible series of essays and personal anecdotes.