From Jailer to Jailed - Read Jim Fulner

No cover — Bernard B. Kerik: From Jailer to Jailed (2015, Simon & Schuster, Limited)

English language

Published Oct. 3, 2015 by Simon & Schuster, Limited.

ISBN:: 978-1-4767-8372-7

"Bernard Kerik was New York City's police commissioner during the 9/11 attacks, who became an American hero as he led the NYPD through rescue and recovery efforts of the World Trade Center. Now, he is a former federal prison inmate known as #84888-054, convicted of tax fraud and false statements in 2007. Now for the first time, he talks candidly about his time on the inside: the torture of solitary confinement, the abuse of power, the mental and physical torment of being locked up in a cage, the powerlessness"--Amazon.com.

2 editions

JIm FUlner reviewed From Jailer to Jailed by Bernard B. Kerik

2 stars

I was disappointed by this book. I had been looking forward to reading it since I first heard of it, but alas.returnreturnAs a prison abolitionist I should know better than to think someone who calls themselves a prison reformer is going to have the trans I'm hoping they will. Even after three years in prison Kerik still comes out as a conservative patriotic Republican. He makes some really good points that might make some lawmakers think twice. Costs to the public to lock 'em up, the dangers of solitary confinement, attack on the families that did nothing to wrong, unnecessary lengths of sentences, problems getting employment after being labeled a felon, etc. But he still comes back to the need for punishment, including for terrorist suspects awaiting trial, and he several times tries to show that he, like many other white-collar criminals, not as bad as these guys they lock …

I was disappointed by this book. I had been looking forward to reading it since I first heard of it, but alas.returnreturnAs a prison abolitionist I should know better than to think someone who calls themselves a prison reformer is going to have the trans I'm hoping they will. Even after three years in prison Kerik still comes out as a conservative patriotic Republican. He makes some really good points that might make some lawmakers think twice. Costs to the public to lock 'em up, the dangers of solitary confinement, attack on the families that did nothing to wrong, unnecessary lengths of sentences, problems getting employment after being labeled a felon, etc. But he still comes back to the need for punishment, including for terrorist suspects awaiting trial, and he several times tries to show that he, like many other white-collar criminals, not as bad as these guys they lock up, though he does have soft spot for nonviolent drug offenders.returnreturnI think this one is worth skipping for most people, unless you have a right-wing uncle who might have room in his heart to bleed a little bit.