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Hard Time: A Brit in America's Toughest Jail
Using a golf pencil sharpened on a cell wall, Shaun Attwood wrote one of the first prison blogs, "Jon's Jail Journal", excerpts of which were published in "The Guardian" and attracted international media attention. Brought up in England, Shaun took his business degree to Phoenix, Arizona, where he became an award winning stockbroker and then a millionaire day trader during the dot-com bubble. But Shaun also led a double life. An early fan of the rave scene in Manchester, he formed an organisation that threw raves and distributed Class A drugs. Before being convicted of money laundering and drug dealing, he served 26 months in the infamous jail system run by the notorious Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "Hard Time" is the harrowing yet often darkly humorous account of the time Shaun spent submerged in a nightmarish world of gang violence, insect infested cells and food unfit for animals. His remarkable story provides a revealing glimpse into the tragedy, brutality, comedy and eccentricity of prison life.
304 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2010
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About the author
Shaun Attwood
77 books356 followersIn prison, I read over 1000 books in just under six years, including many literary classics. Books were the lifeblood of my rehabilitation.
As told on National Geographic Channel's Locked-Up/Banged-Up Abroad episode "Raving Arizona," I used a tiny pencil sharpened on a cell door to write the first prison blog, Jon’s Jail Journal. My writing, smuggled out of the jail with the highest rate of death in America, run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, turned the international media spotlight on the human rights violations, including guards murdering mentally ill inmates, dead rats in the food, lack of medical care...
Raised in a small chemical-manufacturing town in northern England, I was the first from my family to go to university. As a penniless graduate, I took my business degree to Phoenix, and worked my way up to become a stock-market millionaire.
But I also led a double life. An early fan of the Manchester rave scene, I headed an organisation that threw raves and distributed Ecstasy. On May 16th 2002, a SWAT team knocked my door down.
Facing a life sentence, I entered a lengthy legal battle. After two years of being held unsentenced, I was convicted of drug offences. Sentenced to 9½ years, I served almost 6.
I had only read finance books prior to my arrest. While incarcerated, I submerged myself in literature. By studying original texts in psychology and philosophy, I sought to better understand myself and my past behaviour.
Released in December 2007, I continue to campaign against Sheriff Joe Arpaio. I keep my blog, Jon’s Jail Journal, going by posting stories mailed to me by my prison friends.
In July 2008, I won a Koestler award for a short story, which I read to an audience at the Royal Festival Hall.
I presently live near London, and talk to schools across the UK about my jail experience and the consequences of getting involved in drugs and crime.
As told on National Geographic Channel's Locked-Up/Banged-Up Abroad episode "Raving Arizona," I used a tiny pencil sharpened on a cell door to write the first prison blog, Jon’s Jail Journal. My writing, smuggled out of the jail with the highest rate of death in America, run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, turned the international media spotlight on the human rights violations, including guards murdering mentally ill inmates, dead rats in the food, lack of medical care...
Raised in a small chemical-manufacturing town in northern England, I was the first from my family to go to university. As a penniless graduate, I took my business degree to Phoenix, and worked my way up to become a stock-market millionaire.
But I also led a double life. An early fan of the Manchester rave scene, I headed an organisation that threw raves and distributed Ecstasy. On May 16th 2002, a SWAT team knocked my door down.
Facing a life sentence, I entered a lengthy legal battle. After two years of being held unsentenced, I was convicted of drug offences. Sentenced to 9½ years, I served almost 6.
I had only read finance books prior to my arrest. While incarcerated, I submerged myself in literature. By studying original texts in psychology and philosophy, I sought to better understand myself and my past behaviour.
Released in December 2007, I continue to campaign against Sheriff Joe Arpaio. I keep my blog, Jon’s Jail Journal, going by posting stories mailed to me by my prison friends.
In July 2008, I won a Koestler award for a short story, which I read to an audience at the Royal Festival Hall.
I presently live near London, and talk to schools across the UK about my jail experience and the consequences of getting involved in drugs and crime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
August 29, 2017
The appalling pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio by President Trump was the reason this prison memoir jumped to the top of my To Be Read list. I knew how vile Arpaio was a long time ago despite not living in Arizona or knowing anyone in his jail. He’s notoriously bragged that it cost more to feed the prison dogs than the prisoners, who he fed moldy bread and green bologna to for two meals a day (40 cents a day) and the “red death” for the other meal each day. Naturally, for inmates who were indigent—meaning they had no one to put money on their commissary books to buy nuts, cookies, and crackers—chronic diarrhea was a constant companion.
The other constant companions were cockroaches and sweltering Arizona heat. Prisoners had perpetual heat rashes and bug bites that would become enflamed, but they wouldn’t get medical attention until one inmate’s thumb needed to be amputated, for example. If there were going to be inspections, suddenly the air conditioning would work again. As soon as the inspectors left, mysteriously the jail cells would once again be as hot as the Arizona sun could make it, which is why they had rashes that left them bloody, plus all the spider and cockroach bites. Some men died from heat exhaustion, especially men battling diabetes or other ailments. Some died from their beatings from other prisoners, which could inflicted for a variety of spurious reasons. Others died from suicide. These men were in jail, not prison, meaning they hadn’t been sentenced yet.
Many people in prison battle drug and alcohol addiction because they are self-medicating for the PTSD they have from the abuse they suffered as children or for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Mental illness can be treated, but a person needs the proper pharmaceutical cocktail, which means access to decent medical care. No one got such care in Arpaio’s prison.
The author Shaun Attwood came to Arizona from England. He was a successful stockbroker who relaxed by going to raves and doing ecstasy. He made so much money he no longer needed to work. Unfortunately, he used his good education and business mind to become a wildly successful dealer of ecstasy. He’d throw wild raves. However, by the time the police busted down his door, he was in a solid, healthy relationship with a woman who didn’t use drugs and had been clean and doing real work for a year. The police didn’t find any drugs in his place, but incarcerated him for two years without charges.
It’s important to note that most people who are incarcerated will return to society someday. “When a society treats its prisoners like animals some will behave like animals when they return to society.”
Attwood writes, “The media led me to believe that jails are full of serial killers and rapists, but they are only a small percentage of the population. The disproportionate amount of stories about killers and rapists keeps the public in fear of all prisoners and feed the lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key attitude. Most of the prisoners I’ve met need counseling, mental-health care, education and job skills.”
The other intriguing thing the book talks about is race relations in jail. Attwood is white, and when he was incarcerated he decided to learn Spanish, and the Mexicans and Mexican Americans (who are bitter enemies in jail), helped him learn in exchange for commissary, but this got him in trouble with other members of his race. He writes about the hierarchy of the Aryan Nation, and what the various tattoos mean. I wonder how many white people became Aryan Nation converts to survive incarceration and carry that hatred back with them on the outside, vs. how many started out as racists. Attwood is writes about “the saner whites” and “the saner guards.” (Meaning nonracist whites and guards that didn’t abuse prisoners for fun.)
“From what I’ve seen, the prisons are being packed with mostly petty drug offenders. That’s how the system stays in business, and the corrupt few like Sheriff Joe Arpaio enrich themselves.”
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
The other constant companions were cockroaches and sweltering Arizona heat. Prisoners had perpetual heat rashes and bug bites that would become enflamed, but they wouldn’t get medical attention until one inmate’s thumb needed to be amputated, for example. If there were going to be inspections, suddenly the air conditioning would work again. As soon as the inspectors left, mysteriously the jail cells would once again be as hot as the Arizona sun could make it, which is why they had rashes that left them bloody, plus all the spider and cockroach bites. Some men died from heat exhaustion, especially men battling diabetes or other ailments. Some died from their beatings from other prisoners, which could inflicted for a variety of spurious reasons. Others died from suicide. These men were in jail, not prison, meaning they hadn’t been sentenced yet.
Many people in prison battle drug and alcohol addiction because they are self-medicating for the PTSD they have from the abuse they suffered as children or for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Mental illness can be treated, but a person needs the proper pharmaceutical cocktail, which means access to decent medical care. No one got such care in Arpaio’s prison.
The author Shaun Attwood came to Arizona from England. He was a successful stockbroker who relaxed by going to raves and doing ecstasy. He made so much money he no longer needed to work. Unfortunately, he used his good education and business mind to become a wildly successful dealer of ecstasy. He’d throw wild raves. However, by the time the police busted down his door, he was in a solid, healthy relationship with a woman who didn’t use drugs and had been clean and doing real work for a year. The police didn’t find any drugs in his place, but incarcerated him for two years without charges.
It’s important to note that most people who are incarcerated will return to society someday. “When a society treats its prisoners like animals some will behave like animals when they return to society.”
Attwood writes, “The media led me to believe that jails are full of serial killers and rapists, but they are only a small percentage of the population. The disproportionate amount of stories about killers and rapists keeps the public in fear of all prisoners and feed the lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key attitude. Most of the prisoners I’ve met need counseling, mental-health care, education and job skills.”
The other intriguing thing the book talks about is race relations in jail. Attwood is white, and when he was incarcerated he decided to learn Spanish, and the Mexicans and Mexican Americans (who are bitter enemies in jail), helped him learn in exchange for commissary, but this got him in trouble with other members of his race. He writes about the hierarchy of the Aryan Nation, and what the various tattoos mean. I wonder how many white people became Aryan Nation converts to survive incarceration and carry that hatred back with them on the outside, vs. how many started out as racists. Attwood is writes about “the saner whites” and “the saner guards.” (Meaning nonracist whites and guards that didn’t abuse prisoners for fun.)
“From what I’ve seen, the prisons are being packed with mostly petty drug offenders. That’s how the system stays in business, and the corrupt few like Sheriff Joe Arpaio enrich themselves.”
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
December 16, 2014
I picked this up as a free Kindle download and was not disappointed. The book jacket image makes it look amateurish but this writer has chops. He's basically a well-educated man who overindulged his vices and got in a lot of trouble. What makes this book different from so many others is that, firstly, the author can write. Also, he admits to his crimes and accepts his penalty, all while keeping the discussion open about the horrors found in Maricopa County jails. So many people think "oh well, if you do the crime, you deserve to eat spoiled food" but that isn't true. If you're not familiar with the horrors of the jails in Arizona, you might want to read up a bit before you settle in to this book. The author is not exaggerating to make his point - the system IS that broken. Disease runs rampant, people are starving, detainees are overcrowded, and many people get hurt but no one does anything to stop it because to say that human beings deserve better treatment, you're accused of defending murderers. It's a terribly messed up situation.
The bulk of the book is Attwood's story of incarceration in the jail -- this is where you're held UNTIL you are sentenced, meaning that at the jails everyone is 'presumed innocent'. Which makes the way people are treated even worse. I think most people don't know the difference between jail and prison and so they are fine with the "lock 'em up and throw away the key" mentality until it happens to them. You've got unpaid tickets? You get a minor skirmish? Your child is caught shoplifting? This is the volatile situation where you'll end up while waiting months or years for your date with a judge. Although Attwood admits he has committed crimes, he was arrested seemingly unfairly and detained for an incredible amount of time and with the DA finding various loopholes to drag it out. Nonetheless he is resigned to his punishment and sets out to "do his time" in a way that make him a more productive person after this experience. However, it is nearly impossible to avoid the violence in the jails. Alliances of all sorts are founded and you either join or perish. As Attwood points out again and again, for those who fall into a bad pattern of recidivism, there is no escape - the jails are not set up to provide education or counseling. Instead, the system turns a blind eye to people (in this case, men) who made some bad choices but are not beyond redemption. Instead, the system sets them up to fail - again and again. For example, the jails are full of addicts and mentally imbalanced people. Rather than treat the addiction/illness, they are sent to jail where they are physically abused which forces them to strike back and then they are given longer sentences for fighting.
I think books like this are important for 'the rest of us' to get a glimpse into the way that our jails and prisons are managed. Refusing to provide humane conditions (edible food, healthcare, climate control) does NOT deter crime. Investing in programs to decrease recidivism and address societal problems (theft, drugs, etc.) do. The way that "Sheriff Joe" manages the jails in Arizona is despicable (not just my opinion, several human rights organizations have successfully sued and continue to sue the system) and this book will give you an insider's view into what is happening there right now.
The bulk of the book is Attwood's story of incarceration in the jail -- this is where you're held UNTIL you are sentenced, meaning that at the jails everyone is 'presumed innocent'. Which makes the way people are treated even worse. I think most people don't know the difference between jail and prison and so they are fine with the "lock 'em up and throw away the key" mentality until it happens to them. You've got unpaid tickets? You get a minor skirmish? Your child is caught shoplifting? This is the volatile situation where you'll end up while waiting months or years for your date with a judge. Although Attwood admits he has committed crimes, he was arrested seemingly unfairly and detained for an incredible amount of time and with the DA finding various loopholes to drag it out. Nonetheless he is resigned to his punishment and sets out to "do his time" in a way that make him a more productive person after this experience. However, it is nearly impossible to avoid the violence in the jails. Alliances of all sorts are founded and you either join or perish. As Attwood points out again and again, for those who fall into a bad pattern of recidivism, there is no escape - the jails are not set up to provide education or counseling. Instead, the system turns a blind eye to people (in this case, men) who made some bad choices but are not beyond redemption. Instead, the system sets them up to fail - again and again. For example, the jails are full of addicts and mentally imbalanced people. Rather than treat the addiction/illness, they are sent to jail where they are physically abused which forces them to strike back and then they are given longer sentences for fighting.
I think books like this are important for 'the rest of us' to get a glimpse into the way that our jails and prisons are managed. Refusing to provide humane conditions (edible food, healthcare, climate control) does NOT deter crime. Investing in programs to decrease recidivism and address societal problems (theft, drugs, etc.) do. The way that "Sheriff Joe" manages the jails in Arizona is despicable (not just my opinion, several human rights organizations have successfully sued and continue to sue the system) and this book will give you an insider's view into what is happening there right now.
July 16, 2012
Attwood's tale of his rude awakening in America's toughest jail is as disturbing as it is compelling. How much artistic licence he has taken to make his account more outrageous is obviously open to question, but I imagine much of it is genuine. Whether treating criminals (and remand prisoners, as that is what this book is about) like animals is acceptable is a debate for another time, but there are many sickening scenes in Hard Time.
For all its horrors, Hard Time is a well written account which rarely drags despite mainly being a catalogue of day to day life inside jail. Attwood and his fellow residents manage to find hope and humour as daily events veer from bizarre to barbaric. The account is broken up with letters to Attwood's loved ones and the occasional trip to court to nudge the case along.
I can't imagine anyone reading this and not being affected. For all but the most evil of men, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's jails are hell on earth. Attwood slowly faces up to his crime and takes the reader through the changes he experiences while living through this hell. Not for the faint hearted but a fascinating book.
For all its horrors, Hard Time is a well written account which rarely drags despite mainly being a catalogue of day to day life inside jail. Attwood and his fellow residents manage to find hope and humour as daily events veer from bizarre to barbaric. The account is broken up with letters to Attwood's loved ones and the occasional trip to court to nudge the case along.
I can't imagine anyone reading this and not being affected. For all but the most evil of men, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's jails are hell on earth. Attwood slowly faces up to his crime and takes the reader through the changes he experiences while living through this hell. Not for the faint hearted but a fascinating book.
March 28, 2011
Hard Time is the story of Shaun Attwood. Attwood grew up in England and moved to Arizona after university. His life seemed to be going wonderfully, if illegally—he was a successful stockbroker with a huge mansion and a sports car, and he also threw raves and dealt drugs like Ecstasy. However, after several years, the partying began to weary him and he settled down with his girlfriend, Claudia, and was living a more sedate, lawful life.
However, the law caught up with him. In 2000, he was arrested on suspected drug dealing charges and thrown into one of Sherriff Joe Arpaio’s jails. For those of you who don’t know him, Arpaio is a disgusting human being. Amnesty International has complained about him, and he has more lawsuits than you can shake a stick at. This is a man who feeds his inmates green bologna and violates human rights. Many of the people, like Attwood, were unsentenced, meaning that many of them could be and were innocent. Others were definitely guilty, but still did not merit being treated like dogs.
Choice quotes by Arpaio:
"It costs more to feed our police dogs than our inmates. The dogs never committed a crime, and they're working for a living."
"It's 120 degrees in Iraq and the soldiers are living in tents and they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your mouths."
— Arpaio to inmates living in tents that reached 138 degrees during a heat wave.
Nice guy, right? Attwood was thrown into the jail and his bail was set at $750,000, even though they only had circumstantial evidence. In the end, Attwood spent 8 years of his life in first the jail and then the Madison prison, befriending cockroaches and suffering from terrible health problems and having his life threatened. But he fought back.
While in jail, Attwood started a blog and smuggled the entries to his aunt Anne, who typed them and sent them to Attwood’s parents. Attwood’s parents then put them on a blog under a pseudonym: Jon’s Jail Journal
Before long, the blog began attracting visitors and press. Last year I spent hours reading the blog, fascinated by the horror Attwood lived through and amazed at the different people he interacted with and befriended. Attwood used his time wisely, reading widely, working on his writing skills, and practicing yoga for hours every day.
After Attwood was finally released, he began speaking at schools and published his book, and has been quite the thorn in Arpaio’s side. Hard Time is an honest look into what his life was like in the jail and the difficulties he faced, and chronicles his attempt to have justice and a clear sentence. It’s definitely worth the read.
However, the law caught up with him. In 2000, he was arrested on suspected drug dealing charges and thrown into one of Sherriff Joe Arpaio’s jails. For those of you who don’t know him, Arpaio is a disgusting human being. Amnesty International has complained about him, and he has more lawsuits than you can shake a stick at. This is a man who feeds his inmates green bologna and violates human rights. Many of the people, like Attwood, were unsentenced, meaning that many of them could be and were innocent. Others were definitely guilty, but still did not merit being treated like dogs.
Choice quotes by Arpaio:
"It costs more to feed our police dogs than our inmates. The dogs never committed a crime, and they're working for a living."
"It's 120 degrees in Iraq and the soldiers are living in tents and they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your mouths."
— Arpaio to inmates living in tents that reached 138 degrees during a heat wave.
Nice guy, right? Attwood was thrown into the jail and his bail was set at $750,000, even though they only had circumstantial evidence. In the end, Attwood spent 8 years of his life in first the jail and then the Madison prison, befriending cockroaches and suffering from terrible health problems and having his life threatened. But he fought back.
While in jail, Attwood started a blog and smuggled the entries to his aunt Anne, who typed them and sent them to Attwood’s parents. Attwood’s parents then put them on a blog under a pseudonym: Jon’s Jail Journal
Before long, the blog began attracting visitors and press. Last year I spent hours reading the blog, fascinated by the horror Attwood lived through and amazed at the different people he interacted with and befriended. Attwood used his time wisely, reading widely, working on his writing skills, and practicing yoga for hours every day.
After Attwood was finally released, he began speaking at schools and published his book, and has been quite the thorn in Arpaio’s side. Hard Time is an honest look into what his life was like in the jail and the difficulties he faced, and chronicles his attempt to have justice and a clear sentence. It’s definitely worth the read.
July 21, 2017
Learned way more than I wanted to know about cockroaches. Not forgetting this one anytime soon!
April 14, 2020
Although this author is not as well known as many others out there, I HIGHLY encourage anyone who is looking for something interesting to check out to give his books a try. Shaun Attwood is somewhat well-known in the Phoenix community for being a major ecstasy dealer during the early days of the drugs arrival stateside, as well as being one of the pioneers of the movement of the rave. I got this book as a free Kindle download, and was hooked right from the jump.
The only thing I hated about this story? This story ABRUPTLY ends, so to hear everything that happened afterwards you have to get the next installment: "Prison Time." There is also a prequel called "Party Time" that delves more into his past before his time in Americas toughest jail and the prison system.
I work as a bail bondsman in Phoenix AZ and I gotta say, from the stories I have heard Joe Arpaio's jail was NO JOKE!! After more than 25 years of terror he finally got voted out of office at the end of 2016, and perhaps this jails title as the worst in the USA will finally change. But seeing what individuals have had to go through at this facility (many stories of racism, unsubstantiated violence, cruel punishment (not giving life-saving meds, denying many medical requests, etc) even deaths in the jail by the hands of the guards, as well as Shaun's story truly makes me hope for some kind of reform in the justice system for these non-violent offenders. The Tent City jail in Phoenix alone has been responsible for many deaths due to the heat of the outdoor camp the inmates stay in during summer months.
I am not saying there is no reason these men and women should be in prison or they don't deserve their sentences, but they are still human and deserve basic rights, something Shaun has staunchly been in support of since his release.
The only thing I hated about this story? This story ABRUPTLY ends, so to hear everything that happened afterwards you have to get the next installment: "Prison Time." There is also a prequel called "Party Time" that delves more into his past before his time in Americas toughest jail and the prison system.
I work as a bail bondsman in Phoenix AZ and I gotta say, from the stories I have heard Joe Arpaio's jail was NO JOKE!! After more than 25 years of terror he finally got voted out of office at the end of 2016, and perhaps this jails title as the worst in the USA will finally change. But seeing what individuals have had to go through at this facility (many stories of racism, unsubstantiated violence, cruel punishment (not giving life-saving meds, denying many medical requests, etc) even deaths in the jail by the hands of the guards, as well as Shaun's story truly makes me hope for some kind of reform in the justice system for these non-violent offenders. The Tent City jail in Phoenix alone has been responsible for many deaths due to the heat of the outdoor camp the inmates stay in during summer months.
I am not saying there is no reason these men and women should be in prison or they don't deserve their sentences, but they are still human and deserve basic rights, something Shaun has staunchly been in support of since his release.
November 9, 2017
A "hero-to-zero" true life account of former stockbroker, millionaire day trader Shaun Attwood's nightmare in jail in Arizona BEFORE he was convicted and sent to actual prison. He spent about 2 years in hellish conditions and finally took a plea bargain just to have the certainty of a fixed incarceration period. In the book, he does admit his own guilt in running arguably the largest Ecstasy distribution ring where he lived and throwing drug-fuelled rave parties for thousands.
In a world where the sacred principle of "innocent until proven guilty" is cast callously aside, Attwood details many instances of human rights abuses in jail where he was held pre-trial. The list is long and includes severe malnourishment from food deprivation, illness from being given only rotten, mouldy food, withholding of medical care leading to deaths, disabilities and amputations, extreme lack of sanitation (no showers for days whilst on lockdown), etc.
I read 'Hard Time' hoping to find out more about the former sheriff Joe Arpaio (self-styled as "America's Toughest Sheriff") who was pardoned by POTUS earlier this year. Unfortunately, the book doesn't talk much about him but you can get a pretty good idea of this person's policies from the way he runs his jails.
The writing is decent, not fantastic, but the book goes along at a nice pace. You need to have a strong stomach though. Today, the writer is an author of various other books, a public speaker (he has appeared on TED) and continues to champion for better conditions in jail. Final rating: 3.5*
In a world where the sacred principle of "innocent until proven guilty" is cast callously aside, Attwood details many instances of human rights abuses in jail where he was held pre-trial. The list is long and includes severe malnourishment from food deprivation, illness from being given only rotten, mouldy food, withholding of medical care leading to deaths, disabilities and amputations, extreme lack of sanitation (no showers for days whilst on lockdown), etc.
I read 'Hard Time' hoping to find out more about the former sheriff Joe Arpaio (self-styled as "America's Toughest Sheriff") who was pardoned by POTUS earlier this year. Unfortunately, the book doesn't talk much about him but you can get a pretty good idea of this person's policies from the way he runs his jails.
The writing is decent, not fantastic, but the book goes along at a nice pace. You need to have a strong stomach though. Today, the writer is an author of various other books, a public speaker (he has appeared on TED) and continues to champion for better conditions in jail. Final rating: 3.5*
July 10, 2017
I think I would have given this book a higher rating had I not lived in Arizona for most of my life and knew for many years about the human rights violations that happened under Joe Arpaio. I think this book will probably stun many who haven't heard of Joe, tent city and the pink boxers. The most surprising thing about the story to me, is that the justice system is SO broken that both sides use loopholes, illegal maneuvering and outright trickery to try to make it work for them.
It also never occurred to me that the people living in tent city, or any of the other jail's under Arpaio's jurisdiction would contain people who had NOT been convicted of their crimes. I assumed, like most of the voters who enthusiastically re-elect the Sheriff, that they must all be hardened criminals. In fact, they are awaiting trial, sometimes for YEARS, and we, as a society that claims to believe in innocent until proven guilty have already thrown the accused away. In this case, the protagonist is guilty as hell, and he does speak up for those who are innocent, those who are disabled and even those who are guilty, but redeemable, asking why they aren't being rehoused, receiving the healthcare they need and rehabilitated. For profit prisons and the continual election of Arpaio, and people like him, are a really disturbing reflection of our "true" values.
It also never occurred to me that the people living in tent city, or any of the other jail's under Arpaio's jurisdiction would contain people who had NOT been convicted of their crimes. I assumed, like most of the voters who enthusiastically re-elect the Sheriff, that they must all be hardened criminals. In fact, they are awaiting trial, sometimes for YEARS, and we, as a society that claims to believe in innocent until proven guilty have already thrown the accused away. In this case, the protagonist is guilty as hell, and he does speak up for those who are innocent, those who are disabled and even those who are guilty, but redeemable, asking why they aren't being rehoused, receiving the healthcare they need and rehabilitated. For profit prisons and the continual election of Arpaio, and people like him, are a really disturbing reflection of our "true" values.
May 30, 2015
Although I found the style of writing awkward, I was sucked into Shaun's story too much to put the book down. The story didn't really flow well together, even from paragraph to paragraph, making it difficult to follow sometimes, but it was very entertaining.
August 5, 2011
Hard Time is a very compelling first hand account of sheriff Joe Arpaio's torturous Maricopa county jail system. It will also leave you wondering about our criminal justice system as a whole.
Shaun's stories are shocking for many reasons - almost all of them having to do with the prison administration, but also paint a vivid picture of the people living in these jails. They are human beings. Flawed, many broken, but human. The mere drug offenders and petty criminals exist in stark contrast to the hardened, hyper-violent gang members who essentially run the prisons because of over-population and under-staffing. But even the most remorseless gang leader is given a fair shake in this book, his actions shown within the awful context of his surroundings.
It's extremely telling that Shaun and other inmates in Maricopa county's jails preferred federal prisons to sheriff Joe's torture pits, where medical care is essentially non-existant, facility conditions are 3rd world, and where guards go uncaring, or unaware of the murder of inmates on their watch.
Perhaps of more concern is the criminal justice system that is not only aware of these conditions, but does nothing to reign in this monstrous treatment, despite multiple, impotent actions from the court. A subtext of the book is how these inhumane conditions lead defendants to accept unfavorable plea bargains. Malnutrition, sleep deprivation, unmonitored and untreated health conditions. These factors do not lead to sound decision making. And of course there's just the pure, naked coercion inherent in "if you don't accept a plea, you'll be in that jail for another year before trial".
Shaun points out how public defenders, police, and prosecuting attorneys routinely lie to accomplish their goals. When Shaun inevitably accepts a plea so that he can move into the federal prison system, the prosecutor lies to the judge to try and reneg on a key provision of the deal which would shorten his sentence, and almost gets away with it.
This is an important book to read for anyone who's interested in how the criminal justice system works, and a very important read for anyone living under the jurisdiction of sheriff Joe.
Shaun's stories are shocking for many reasons - almost all of them having to do with the prison administration, but also paint a vivid picture of the people living in these jails. They are human beings. Flawed, many broken, but human. The mere drug offenders and petty criminals exist in stark contrast to the hardened, hyper-violent gang members who essentially run the prisons because of over-population and under-staffing. But even the most remorseless gang leader is given a fair shake in this book, his actions shown within the awful context of his surroundings.
It's extremely telling that Shaun and other inmates in Maricopa county's jails preferred federal prisons to sheriff Joe's torture pits, where medical care is essentially non-existant, facility conditions are 3rd world, and where guards go uncaring, or unaware of the murder of inmates on their watch.
Perhaps of more concern is the criminal justice system that is not only aware of these conditions, but does nothing to reign in this monstrous treatment, despite multiple, impotent actions from the court. A subtext of the book is how these inhumane conditions lead defendants to accept unfavorable plea bargains. Malnutrition, sleep deprivation, unmonitored and untreated health conditions. These factors do not lead to sound decision making. And of course there's just the pure, naked coercion inherent in "if you don't accept a plea, you'll be in that jail for another year before trial".
Shaun points out how public defenders, police, and prosecuting attorneys routinely lie to accomplish their goals. When Shaun inevitably accepts a plea so that he can move into the federal prison system, the prosecutor lies to the judge to try and reneg on a key provision of the deal which would shorten his sentence, and almost gets away with it.
This is an important book to read for anyone who's interested in how the criminal justice system works, and a very important read for anyone living under the jurisdiction of sheriff Joe.
August 12, 2011
This book is about a man put in an American Prison for drug offences and is written by him about his time in the jail. It uncovers the ridiculous state of the american system held in remand on a $750,000 bail when the justice system had minumal evidence against him. With the help of a $50k lawyer he managed to get out but only after a plea bargain. A first time offender he was clearly used to set an example. His day to day life in the prison is an interesting read and it sounds horrendus. The food and state of cells sounds terrible. The book gives an insight into prosecutors and how they will feed the stories to the media in order to make themselves look good and that the fact that a person is discouraged from going to trial with threats and promises of a long long sentence. The fact most people get a long sentence if they go to trial seems more like a punishment for daring to take it to trial in the first place. Its seems like a harsh system. Defendents are encouraged to take plea bargains, so even if your innocent it seems your likely to take the bargain instead of risking a life in jail. I enjoyed reading this book it was easy to read and there was a lot of detail in it. A very detailed account of 2 years in an american jail.
July 13, 2017
Wow.
I work with women in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, and I am seriously considering lobbying the counseling staff and program director to include some of Shaun Atwood's work in their programming. Of course, it's possible that the only lesson some will learn is "don't do crime in Maricopa County" , it is also quite likely that the larger consequences might sink in. You've done a package tour of Hell, Mr. Attwood. It is awful that people are still treated this way, but you are to be commended for having the courage to tell the world about it. Thank you for breaking open the abscess that is the Maricopa County jail system. May that foul spider Arpaio receive all that he so richly deserves.
I work with women in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, and I am seriously considering lobbying the counseling staff and program director to include some of Shaun Atwood's work in their programming. Of course, it's possible that the only lesson some will learn is "don't do crime in Maricopa County" , it is also quite likely that the larger consequences might sink in. You've done a package tour of Hell, Mr. Attwood. It is awful that people are still treated this way, but you are to be commended for having the courage to tell the world about it. Thank you for breaking open the abscess that is the Maricopa County jail system. May that foul spider Arpaio receive all that he so richly deserves.
April 10, 2017
Believable
And compelling...glad to know someone is shedding light on the county jails situation in this country. The fact that it takes someone outside of this country to do that is telling. They are a revolving door and money making scam between the courts and the legal system, and yes if you commit a crime and do the time, that would be one thing, but there's so much room for improvement it's mind boggling that people in county jails are treated like animals. Not just in Arizona, but everywhere. Lock them up, throw away the key mentality doesn't address the wound, not for the individual or society in general.
And compelling...glad to know someone is shedding light on the county jails situation in this country. The fact that it takes someone outside of this country to do that is telling. They are a revolving door and money making scam between the courts and the legal system, and yes if you commit a crime and do the time, that would be one thing, but there's so much room for improvement it's mind boggling that people in county jails are treated like animals. Not just in Arizona, but everywhere. Lock them up, throw away the key mentality doesn't address the wound, not for the individual or society in general.
July 7, 2017
I couldn't put this book down for many of the same reason's I can't stop myself from looking at a traffic accident. I know what I'm about to see/read is bad, but I have to know how bad, even though I'll never clear my mind of the image. The picture Attwood paints is bad. Unbelievably bad. In many ways we're running a third world prison system. Attwood captures this in vivid detail. At times I felt sick as he described the violence, bugs, heat, food, showers, etc.
I would have given it five stars, except it seemed to bog down in repetitive detail. Boy meets boy, boy's friends bash boy. Boy eats moldy sandwich.
I would have given it five stars, except it seemed to bog down in repetitive detail. Boy meets boy, boy's friends bash boy. Boy eats moldy sandwich.
July 17, 2017
Intriguing look inside
A captivating story about the process one goes through while being processing in the American legal system. The hardships faced for those who only want to do their time and move on make one rethink the value of our current prison system.
A captivating story about the process one goes through while being processing in the American legal system. The hardships faced for those who only want to do their time and move on make one rethink the value of our current prison system.
November 4, 2012
Felt every emotion possible, from anger to sadness to happiness....
December 2, 2012
Superb read! You get hooked in early on. The characters, events, and narrative are absorbing. Exactly what a good journal should be.
February 11, 2017
Very inspirational book about overcoming obstacles.
March 3, 2017
Tidy
Well worth a read if you're in to prison books going e download prison time now then I've read them all
Well worth a read if you're in to prison books going e download prison time now then I've read them all
March 29, 2017
Great read
A very interesting book. Looking forward to reading the other books in the series. If I hadn't got to read this one for free, I would've missed out on a good story.
A very interesting book. Looking forward to reading the other books in the series. If I hadn't got to read this one for free, I would've missed out on a good story.
June 11, 2017
Jail time
This book tells it like it like it is. It is an unblushing look at jail as it is administered in this country.
This book tells it like it like it is. It is an unblushing look at jail as it is administered in this country.
June 30, 2017
Shocking
Very hard to read. It gives a fantastic insight into the prison system at that time and the conditions hidden from the public.
Very hard to read. It gives a fantastic insight into the prison system at that time and the conditions hidden from the public.
July 2, 2017
This should be required reading for all teenage boys. If Atwood's true story does not scare them straight then nothing will.
July 28, 2017
Amazing Book
This book was everything I had hoped it to be and even more then I had imagined. It gives you a real insight of what it is like to be locked up.
This book was everything I had hoped it to be and even more then I had imagined. It gives you a real insight of what it is like to be locked up.
July 20, 2017
Very good book
Loved the book.true to life.read it in one sitting. I recommend this book to anyone.you will enjoy it.its good.oh yes
Loved the book.true to life.read it in one sitting. I recommend this book to anyone.you will enjoy it.its good.oh yes
August 6, 2017
Great Book
I loved this book. Couldn't stop reading. Great story. Thank you for this great read. I can't wait to read the rest of his books.
I loved this book. Couldn't stop reading. Great story. Thank you for this great read. I can't wait to read the rest of his books.
May 21, 2012
Good read. Ending however left me in the dark somewhat. Hated the ending
May 20, 2020
Shaun Attwood's book trilogy including; Party time, Hard Time and Prison time is a compelling series, and an astonishing biographical account of an ex stockbrokers time suffering at the hands of America's judicial system. Shaun exposes the appalling conditions prisoners face and the Hell they must endure, but what stood out for me was the author's resilience, the anecdotes and the friendships formed with other inmates. Attwood's style of narration super sizes the colourful characters and they practically bounce off the page at you! I was enthralled from start to finish and it has really changed my mindset towards the justice system.
If you don't read this book, you'll be doing yourself a great disservice. It's full of tear jerker moments, laughter, dark comedy and cringe inducing incidents that has your adrenaline spiking! A must read!
If you don't read this book, you'll be doing yourself a great disservice. It's full of tear jerker moments, laughter, dark comedy and cringe inducing incidents that has your adrenaline spiking! A must read!
October 30, 2020
Ignore the trashy name and cover. The book ends up covering significant thematic depth, with obvious things like the state of US prisons and the drug epidemic but also ideas of suffering as redemption, the value of reading, emergent order and a whole bunch of fascinating stuff about social and tribal dynamics. It's a bit like if Dostoevsky was a raver from Widnes. Great stuff.
January 13, 2022
Wow!
No words. As a person who has done time in Harris County (Houston, TX) jail, I can confirm the authenticity of this book. I feel uncomfortable.
No words. As a person who has done time in Harris County (Houston, TX) jail, I can confirm the authenticity of this book. I feel uncomfortable.
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