Convicted and Condemned: The Politics and Policies of Prisoner Reentry

Convicted and Condemned examines the lifelong consequences of a felony conviction through the compelling words of former prisoners. Winner, W. E. B. DuBois Distinguished Book Award presented by the National Conference of Black Political Scientists Political science scholar Keesha M. Middlemass’s Convicted and Condemned explores the issue of prisoner reentry from the felons’ perspective. It features the voices of formerly incarcerated felons as they attempt to reconnect with family, learn how to acclimate to society, try to secure housing, find a job, and complete a host of other important goals. By examining national housing, education and employment policies implemented at state and local levels, the author shows how the law challenges and undermines prisoner reentry, creating second-class citizens. Felony convictions restrict social interactions and hinder societal reintegration. The educational and vocational training offered in many prisons are typically not recognized by accredited institutions as acceptable course work or by employers as valid work experience, making it difficult for recently released prisoners to find jobs. Families often will not or cannot allow their formerly incarcerated relatives to live with them. In many states, convicted felons cannot receive financial aid for further education, vote in elections, receive welfare benefits, or live in public housing, forcing them to live on society’s margins. Even if the criminal justice system never convicted another person of a felony, millions of people would still have to reenter society on their own. A sobering account of the after-effects of mass incarceration, Convicted and Condemned is a powerful exploration of how individuals, and society as a whole, suffer when a felony conviction exacts a never-ending punishment.

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