ABSTRACT

This short text, ideal for Social Problems and Criminal Justice courses, examines the American prison system, its conditions, and its impact on society. Wehr and Aseltine define the prison industrial complex and explain how the current prison system is a contemporary social problem. They conclude by using California as a case study, and propose alternatives and alterations to the prison system.

part |24 pages

The Prison Industrial Complex: Principles, Processes, and Products

chapter I|2 pages

Introduction

chapter II|10 pages

The Prison Industrial Complex

Social Functions of Crime and Prisons

chapter III|12 pages

Elaborating the Prison Industrial Complex

Race, Class, Gender, and Social Control

part |17 pages

Crime and Incarceration in the 21st Century

part |20 pages

Beyond the Prison Industrial Complex

chapter VI|10 pages

Reforming the Prison Industrial Complex

The Case of California

chapter VII|10 pages

Conclusion

Framing Alternatives