The Globalization of Supermax Prisons - (Critical Issues in Crime and Society) by Jeffrey Ian Ross (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Supermax" prisons are typically reserved for convicted political criminals such as terrorists and spies and for other inmates who are considered to pose a serious ongoing threat to the wider community, to the security of correctional institutions, or to the safety of the people within. The Globalization of Supermax Prisons examines why nine prominent advanced industrialized countries have adopted the supermax prototype, paying particular attention to the economic, social, and political processes that have affected each nation.

Book Synopsis

2013 Choice Outstanding Academic Title

"Supermax" prisons, conceived by the United States in the early 1980s, are typically reserved for convicted political criminals such as terrorists and spies and for other inmates who are considered to pose a serious ongoing threat to the wider community, to the security of correctional institutions, or to the safety of other inmates. Prisoners are usually restricted to their cells for up to twenty-three hours a day and typically have minimal contact with other inmates and correctional staff. Not only does the Federal Bureau of Prisons operate one of these facilities, but almost every state has either a supermax wing or stand-alone supermax prison.

The Globalization of Supermax Prisons examines why nine advanced industrialized countries have adopted the supermax prototype, paying particular attention to the economic, social, and political processes that have affected each state. Featuring essays that look at the U.S.-run prisons of Abu Ghraib and Guantanemo, this collection seeks to determine if the American model is the basis for the establishment of these facilities and considers such issues as the support or opposition to the building of a supermax and why opposition efforts failed; the allegation of human rights abuses within these prisons; and the extent to which the decision to build a supermax was influenced by developments in the United States. Additionally, contributors address such domestic matters as the role of crime rates, media sensationalism, and terrorism in each country's decision to build a supermax prison.

Review Quotes

"The Globalization of Supermax Prisons is a major contribution, sketching the outlines of the supermax phenomenon not just in the United States, but across the globe. The anthology is also well timed to engage with the growing public realization that the now-familiar abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo have their parallel counterparts in domestic U.S. prison."-- "Crime, Law, and Social Change" (11/24/2013 12:00:00 AM)

"The Globalization of Supermax Prisons is the missing puzzle piece in the encrypted and often unspoken portrayal of the global realities of the developmental intricacies and constituencies of supermax prisons. [It] leaves one thinking about the repercussions of supermax institutions, as shaped by socioeconomics and politics, on prisoners' rights."-- "Law and Politics Book Review" (11/1/2014 12:00:00 AM)

"A fine anthology dealing with supermax prisons. The essays provide a wealth of information about why the US and eight other advanced industrialized nations adopted the supermax prototype. These articles are consistently well written and informative, and they raise questions about the efficacy of such prisons. An important read for researchers, policy makers, and concerned citizens. Highly recommended."
-- "Choice" (8/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)

"An important and timely collection of essays examining the propagation of the American 'Supermax' model around the globe. . . . An essential read for researchers, policy makers and concerned citizens alike."--Sharon Shalev "author of Supermax: Controlling Risk through Solitary Confinement" (8/16/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"Jeffrey Ian Ross brings together a wealth of information in an extremely useful and important portrait of global supermax prison proliferation."--Lorna Rhodes "University of Washington, Seattle" (3/2/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"The collection draws attention to a troubling potential trend and a complex problem of contemporary social life and thus offers an important contribution to penal and socio-political studies."
-- "Critical Criminology" (10/15/2013 12:00:00 AM)

"This is a book that legislators, policymakers, practitioners and students should include on a professional reading list. In order to make more informed decisions regarding policies and procedures in our prison systems, it is important to know the history of our systems and how it impacts operations today."
-- "Corrections Today" (12/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)

"This book is a fascinating comparative examination of the worldwide proliferation of supermax prisons. The Globalization of Supermax Prisons is a must-read for any student, practitioner, or scholar of punishment and correctional practices."
-- "Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare"

About the Author

JEFFREY IAN ROSS is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice and a fellow of the Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Baltimore. He is the author, coauthor, editor, or coeditor of numerous books, including Beyond Bars: Rejoining Society after Prison, Convict Criminology, and Special Problems in Corrections.