A LIFE FOR A LIFE

"James A. Paluch, Jr.'s personal odyssey through the criminal justice and penal system is penetrating and highly enlightening. His ability to articulate his insight makes this a 'must read' for anyone interested in the subject."

Reader Comment/Review

I just finished your book. It was an assignment for a Criminology class at Suny Albany in upstate New York. I have to say that although I am assigned to read 4 books in addition to a full text book, I could not put your book down.

I, too, was one of those civilians that knew there was something terribly wrong with this nation's prison system but was too far removed to spend a substantial amount of time thinking and/or doing anything about it. After reading your incredibly raw, morbid account of an inmate's experiences inside prison, it is all too clear to me that the current state of this country's "rehabilitation" programs ( including drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities) is in dire need of reform.

In all honesty, I spent 1 month collectively in drug/ alcohol detox programs and 3 months in a Therapeutic Treatment Center for drug and alcohol abuse. Having volunteer status in all cases, I was able to sign myself out without any serious repercussions. Although the inside of a rehab is relatively safe in contrast to the harsh world of drug addiction, the hypocrisy I witnessed was too much to handle. (I remained drug free after my departure in Feb '02). I suppose in this sense, I can understand how incredibly ineffective the current attempts (or lack thereof) to rehabilitate the nation's social deviants really are.

In no way am I able to sympathize with your current state of affairs, but having read your book, I will forever empathize with you. It takes great strength and courage to do what you have done and I commend you on your desire and ability to stimulate your mind and intellect. I want to thank you for opening my eyes to the great injustice many prisoners suffer.

Being a student, my financial situation is less than desirable but I am greatly interested in doing my part to somehow help because after all, every little bit counts.

James A. Paluch, Jr., is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole. In this remarkably perceptive book, he offers the reader a detailed account of the daily realities of prison life in its mundane essentials, from the culture of the cellblock to the etiquette of the yard and the mess hall. The book also highlights concepts of prisonization, institutionalization, and the community, as well as the nature of modern punishment.

Here, Paluch walks us through a complicated, sometimes treacherous culture behind bars, a place where manipulation and deception often rule. He introduces us to the world of the lifer, a community of men who know they will live and die behind bars. By the end of his book, Paluch leads the reader to question and reevaluate whether our prisons, in their present condition, should continue institutionalizing substantial numbers of offenders for the rest of their natural lives.