Based on in-depth interviews and two years of participant observation of felons, this book traces the career paths of such criminal types as the thief, the hustler, and the junkie, as well as the non-criminal “square john.” The career of the felon, from early environment to crime to prison to parole, is explored from the point of view of the felon himself, a viewpoint seldom considered by the “straight” society in which the felon must learn to function. Since its first publication, The Felon has quickly become a classic of criminal sociology. For this new edition the author has prepared a preface assessing the changes that have occurred since the book first appeared. Engaging and readable, Irwin's description of the life of felons and his conclusions about the role of prisons in our society remain convincing and topical today.

The Felon

Health, Fitness & Dieting

John Irwin

Psychology & Counseling

University of California Press

In 1981 law-school graduate Victor Hassine was sentenced to prison for life without parole for a capital offense. His Third Edition of LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE is an insightful look at conditions of confinement and prison life in America today, taking the reader on a "guided tour" of the prison experience. In powerful and poignant prose, Hassine conveys the changes in prison life that have come about as a result of the war on drugs, prison overcrowding, and demographic changes in inmate populations. Topics covered include rape, prison gangs, prison violence, AIDS, homosexuality, and prison politics.
About the Third Edition
The Third Edition features five new chapters. It continues to graphically document the violence and fear that are a part of everyday life in a men's maximum-security prison. Every chapter also features a new introduction rewritten by eminent criminologist Robert Johnson.
New Chapters
 Chapter 8: "Anatomy of a False Confession" recounts the story of Frank Stoppage, an innocent man who was released before DNA testing began to reveal the innumerable travesties of justice that permeate our justice system. Chapter 17: "Scenes from a Prison" introduces us to several fascinating inmates whose lives reveal the human diversity of the prison world. Chapter 18: "Interview With Judge Richard J. Nygaard" provides a forum for Judge Nygaard to speak with authority about our growing penal system and the ease with which society has come to live with prisons that operate as destructive human warehouses. Chapter 23: "In Search of the Convict Code" debunks the long-held notion that there exists a convict code, unique to confinement, which is a powerful force in prison affairs. Real codes of prison conduct, we learn, are imported from the outside world and adapted to the demands of life in confinement. Chapter 24: "A Hitchhiker's Guide to Prisons" examines how offenders cope with fear, and offers strategies on how correctional officials could convert the prison from a danger zone into an environment where new lives can be forged without fear.

Life Without Parole : Living in Prison Today

Politics & Social Sciences

victor-hassine-thomas-j-bernarel-richard-mccleary-richard-a-wright

Social Sciences

Roxbury Publishing Company

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Books by John Irwin