Lessons From Prison

by Justin M. Paperny

Whether our country was struggling through economic crisis or citizens were enjoying times of prosperity, moral dilemmas were a constant. Justin Paperny, a former stockbroker from the previously distinguished firms of Merrill Lynch, Bear Sterns, and UBS, described the low road. When confronted with the choice of abiding by ethical principles, or protecting commissions generated by a ponzi scheme, Justin abused his discretion. He broke the law. Justin had been a child of privilege, growing up in Encino, an affluent Jewish enclave near Los Angeles. As a student athlete, he had been reared with self-discipline, integrity, and a sense of honor. These values carried him through prep school and the University of Southern California. Upon graduating, however, Justin succumbed to temptations, sacrificing virtues for greed. In Lessons from Prison, Justin offers his story, describing how serving a federal prison sentence led him to recalibrate his life. His narrative humanizes the importance of ethics. Those in corporate America as well as academia will find Justin's honesty a useful resource. Likewise, those struggling with legal complications may rely upon Justin's chronicles as a guide that will not only lead them through the labyrinth of the criminal justice system, but help them emerge stronger.

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Greg Chabala · Rating 1 out of 5]

Few pages, big print. For a book that contained so few words, it was entirely too large. The author was at one point a highly paid stockbroker, yet the prose was simple, and often repetitive in its message. The writing is so bland and direct as to remind one of a grade school writing assignment. You could argue that the text was kept simple to make it more accessible to those headed to prison, but that argument is weak.

Did I learn something about minimum security prison? Yes. And there were interesting anecdotes of others prison experiences as well. I'll probably feel less stigma if I'm speaking with someone who's been incarcerated than I would have previously. But too much of the book was self pity about the past, or navel-gazing about the author's plan to live a better life after prison thanks to his adjustment.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and I learned a lot about our criminal justice system and the people who are confined. I think its admirable that the author is so open with his mistakes and shares them in order for others to learn from him. I liked the style of this book as well. I have also read, Ethics in motion from the same author.