Are Prisons Obsolete Analysis

Journal Response Angela Davis wrote “Are Prisons Obsolete?” as a tool for readers to take in her knowledge of what is actually going on in our government. In chapter five of “Are Prisons Obsolete?” it starts the reader out with an excerpt from Linda Evans and Eve Goldberg, giving them a main idea of what she thinks the government is doing with our prisoners. Then, on her first line of the chapter she begins with “For private business prison labor is like a pot of gold No strikes. No union organizing. No health benefits, unemployment insurance, or workers' compensation to pay. No language barriers, as in foreign countries. New leviathan prisons are being built on thousands of eerie acres of factories inside the walls. Prisoners do data entry for Chevron, make telephone reservations for TWA, raise hogs, shovel manure, and make circuit boards; limousines, waterbeds, and lingerie for Victoria's Secret, all at a fraction of the cost of 'free labor.’” (A. Davis 85) Angela Davis is a wonderful writer as well as activist; as she expresses

It makes me wonder the same thing about the judges, the lawyers, the Supreme Court and even the government itself. Who said we wanted this type of government and it was the best solution? Which brings us back to the question, “Are prisons obsolete?” When I read Angela Davis’ book, Are Prisons Obsolete? , I was scared that it actually was, only because it is not fair to the workers (to an extent). It is cruel to have someone work for you under harsh conditions, even if it is a criminal. Around the times of segregation and racism, it was hard for a black male to walk to the store without being harassed, and it was hard for a black lady to school without being judged and bullied. That being said, if policemen had racism thoughts or their coworkers did, it was hard to tell who the real criminal