ApowerfulcritiqueofmassincarcerationbythepeoplewhohaveexperienceditInsideKnowledgeisthefirstbooktoexaminetheAmericanprisonsystemthroughtheeyesofthosewhoaretrappedwithinit.DrawingfromthewritingscollectedintheAmericanPrisonWritingArchive,DoranLarsondeftlyillustrateshowmassincarcerationdoeslesstocontainanyharmperpetratedbyconvictedpeoplethantospreadandperpetuateharmamongtheirfamiliesandcommunities.InsideKnowledgemakesapowerfulargumentthatAmerica’sprisonsnotonlydegradeanddebilitatetheirwardsbutalsodefeattheprison’scardinalmissionsofrehabilitation,containment,deterrence,andevenmeaningfulretribution.Ifprisonsareplaceswhereconvictedpeoplearesenttolearnalesson,thenimprisonedpeoplearetheoneswhoknowjustwhatAmericanprisonsactuallyteach.Atonceprofoundanddevastating,InsideKnowledgeisaninvaluableresourceforthoseinterestedinaddressingmassincarcerationinAmerica.
