Behind The Razor Ribbon

Life inside a Federal Penitentiary is a mystery to most people. Closely governed by rule and law, Federal Penitentiaries are nevertheless complex communities of people who live and work behind the razor ribbon that encircles them. Correctional Officers are among the few people who are part of the daily experiences behind the walls of prisons across the country. This collection of images of twenty-nine pieces of artwork and their narratives is one retired Correctional Officer’s depiction of that community, and of his experiences working at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. The artwork, created with various mediums, captures moments and events, experiences and feelings—both traumatic and humorous—that have impacted the artist. This body of work provides a glimpse into what life behind the razor ribbon is like for those who live and work there, and has been a healing journey for the artist who created it. Behind the Razor Ribbon—A Correctional Officer’s Perspective illuminates and provides understanding of the role of the Correctional Officer in Canada’s prison system in a unique and personal context.

More than one million Americans live in federal and state prisons and close to another half million are in local jails. One out of every three young black men is involved in the criminal justice system. To house our ever increasing prison population, the construction of new prisons has become a growth industry in many local and state economies. Yet while prisons are a rapidly expanding feature of America's cultural and political landscape, the people in them, as well as the buildings themselves, remain hidden from public consciousness. Determined to break this silence, Michael Jacobson-Hardy entered the prison system to record the voices and the lives of the people who live and work within its walls. Behind the Razor Wire continues the tradition of documentary photography by reporting in words and photographs on the conditions in the American prison system. Jacobson-Hardy examines the physical and psychological environments of a range of contemporary correctional institutions and the lives they contain. The foreword by Angela Y. Davis and essays by John Edgar Wideman, Marc Mauer, and James Gilligan, MD make a searing indictment of America's criminal justice system, while offering a framework for understanding the photographs in their historical and cultural context. By recording the faces, the emotions, and the lives of those who live and work in the prison system, Jacobson-Hardy heightens public awareness and promotes dialogue on criminal justice policy. Behind the Razor Wire creates a visual portrait of prisons and prisoners, and a compelling documentary of how prisoners see themselves and of how in turn they are seen by others.

In 1999, Quan Huynh shot and killed another man in a gang-related incident in Hollywood, California. He received a prison sentence of fifteen years to life in a state that, at the time, did not parole prisoners with life sentences. Behind bars, Quan continued his downward spiral. This could have been the end of the story for Quan, as it is for many prisoners. But somewhere along the way, he discovered a new path-one that prompted him to commit to self-reflection, truth, and personal responsibility. Sparrow in the Razor Wire is Quan's story of transformation inside a place many see as the end of the road. In his book, he shares the journey of redemption and discovery that led to his ultimate freedom. He found that, no matter the prison, the key to unlocking the door is in each one of us.

Collection of essays and art by scholars, artists and activists both in and out of prison that reveal the many dimensions of women’s incarcerated experiences.

2016 EPIC Award Winner – Romantic Suspense Two women. One terrible crime. Zero allies. After being raped by a superior officer, MA3 Kim Lockhoff wants to leave the whole thing in the past. A cop herself, she knows all too well that it’s her word—and slutty reputation—against that of a respected Navy officer. MA2 Reese Marion, a tough cop hiding her own trauma behind a hard-as-nails exterior, has no patience for pretty little princesses who use their cleavage to win favor with the guys. But when Reese is partnered with Kim, she slowly realizes that reputations can lie. Kim is whip-smart, ambitious—and scared. The man who attacked her won’t let anything damage his career, least of all Kim…or the baby she’s carrying as a result. Isolated on Okinawa, thousands of miles away from home, the two women lean hard on each other. But when Kim confides in Reese, she unwittingly puts her new lover—and both of their careers—in the line of fire. Now her attacker just might have the leverage he needs to keep her quiet for good. Razor Wire is a 52,000-word lesbian romantic suspense novel.

Life inside a Federal Penitentiary is a mystery to most people. Closely governed by rule and law, Federal Penitentiaries are nevertheless complex communities of people who live and work behind the razor ribbon that encircles them. Correctional Officers are among the few people who are part of the daily experiences behind the walls of prisons across the country. This collection of images of twenty-nine pieces of artwork and their narratives is one retired Correctional Officer's depiction of that community, and of his experiences working at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. The artwork, created with various mediums, captures moments and events, experiences and feelings-both traumatic and humorous-that have impacted the artist. This body of work provides a glimpse into what life behind the razor ribbon is like for those who live and work there, and has been a healing journey for the artist who created it. Behind the Razor Ribbon-A Correctional Officer's Perspective illuminates and provides understanding of the role of the Correctional Officer in Canada's prison system in a unique and personal context....

The long strands of razor wire conceal from society what it is like on the inside. There is another world filled with violence, fear, hopelessness, and despair, which is seldom shared with the outside world. In this anthology, thirty-five inmates share their hearts and minds in poetry and prose. Some are vengeful; some are angry, and others are resentful. But each person expresses themselves freely from their point of view. David Berkowitz, the notorious murderer known as Son of Sam, shares his testimony of how God touched his life one evening in a cold and lonely prison cell. Today, David Berkowitz is known as the Son of Hope. Many inmates, who will never see the light of day again, share their poems and prose in this collection, Beyond The Razor Wire.

Razor-Wire Dharma is an eloquent, enlightening, and utterly inspiring personal story how one man found Buddhism—and real, transformative meaning for his life—despite being in one of the world's harshest environments.