Book Review
Williams, S. T., & Barbara Cottman B. (1998). Life in prison. New York: Morrow Junior Books.
The book is a non-functional preface by a Swiss legislator explaining why he nominated Williams for a Nobel Prize, and an effusive if evasive foreword by collaborator Becnel, quickly get out of the way for the real appeal of this volume. A cofounder of the notorious Crips gang in California gives an account of his life on death row, convicted for four murder charges. Williams opens his account of what it feels like to be in a death row at by stating, “Prison is hell. This is how I know.” Stan “Tookie” Williams fascinating Life in Prison should be compulsory book for all prisoners and youth at risk, as well as families and communities, they come from. The book brings out the message that ‘crime does not pay’ comes out loudly from this co-founder of Crips gang. The author graphically describes the harsh realities of life in prison: lousy food, strip-search, foul smell, isolation, homesickness, waiting weeks for a doctor and the pervasive violence behind walls where none is safe. His point is to discourage the youth who might be drawn to the ‘glamour’ of prison, the same way he dropped out of school and pursued a life of crime.
Living in a society with rampant criminal cases and many people going to prisons, I can appreciate Stan’s message. I currently did some research at Cape Town’s Pollmoor Prison and Stan’s message reflects everything I learnt. The United States present prison system is geared more to punish and torment than it is to develop and rehabilitate. There is no reprieve from the time a person enters the prison. It is "no place you'd ever want to be. It's dangerous - you always have to watch your back. No one is safe, not even the guards," Williams writes (p. 13). "In prison, violence is like an active volcano - it can erupt at any time" (p. 69). Young inmates experience the realities of prison as they stream in daily. The book is blunt and easy to read. Williams narrates cases where inmates were stabbed while standing with their ‘so-called friends’, and instead of helping these inmates, the friends disappeared and left them to bleed to death (15).
At the end of each chapter, Williams encourages readers to reflect about the aspects of their lives trouble them, or what they assume, and consider what these issues are for a death row inmate. For example, he suggests at-home activities that young people should practice to have a glimpse of what it feels like to be locked in a prison. Some of the activities include locking yourself in a bathroom for ten hours and asking your parents to censor your mail in addition to photos taken from several U.S. prisons, which are suitably scary. The author provides straightforward about his life, and the book is written in an approachable, conversant tone. Photographs of Williams and his fellow inmates provide painful reminders of the life he is trying to scare young people from. This book leaves readers eager to learn more about William’s work with violence protection.
I would recommend this book to parents, communities, and people dealing with violence protection. The book can help parents guide their children to enable them avoid behaviors that may lead them into prison. In conclusion, William’s book is a bold wake-up call to youths to thin consciously and carefully about their life choices.
Reference:
Williams, S. T., & Barbara Cottman B. (1998). Life in prison. New York: Morrow Junior Books.
