American prison
by Shane Bauer · first published 2018
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
Undercover reporting from inside a for-profit Louisiana prison, where the author works as a guard. The account is well-written and eye-opening, with useful history of the US prison system.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"A ground-breaking and brave inside reckoning with the nexus of prison and profit in America: in one Louisiana prison and over the course of our country's history. IIn 2014, Shane Bauer was hired for $9 an hour to work as an entry-level prison guard at a private prison in Winnfield, Louisiana. An award-winning investigative journalist, he used his real name; there was no meaningful background check. Four months later, his employment came to an abrupt end. But he had seen enough, and in short order he wrote an expose about his experiences that won a National Magazine Award and became the most-r
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I recently read American Prison by Shane Bauer which is a nonfiction by a Mother Jones journalist who goes undercover in a for-profit Louisiana prison. It was incredibly well-written and eye-opening and also has a great detailed look…
on “Alabama governor signs bills to use Covid-19 relief funds to build prisons” ↗I'm currently reading American Prison by Shane Bauer and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this topic. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38561954-american-prison The author works as a prison guard at a private prison in Louisiana…
on “Private Prisons Are Behind the Push for Homeless Criminalization” ↗…City by Desmond, Matthew, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25852784-evicted - Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Leovy, Jill, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13153693-ghettoside - American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Bauer, Shane, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38561954-american-prison - Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom…
on “Ask HN: Best books you've read in 2019?” ↗…City by Desmond, Matthew, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25852784-evicted - Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Leovy, Jill, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13153693-ghettoside - American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Bauer, Shane, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38561954-american-prison - Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom…
on “Ask HN: Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2019?” ↗American Prison by Shane Bauer A good read.
on “The Hunting of Billie Holiday (2015)” ↗That (fantastic) story was written by Shane Bauer, who also published "American Prison," about his time as an undercover journalist at a for-profit prison in Louisiana. https://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2018/1027/Ameri...
on “Shots in the Dark – An American city’s struggle to police its police” ↗