The Crime of Imprisonment

George Bernard Shaw

Apr 2021 · Open Road Media

About this eBook

The Nobel Prize–winning social critic examines the absurdities and moral indignities of modern incarceration in this classic work.

Best known for his theatrical works of biting social satire, George Bernard Shaw was also a committed political activist who, at various times, found himself in conflict with the law. Though he was never arrested, Shaw was deeply concerned with the experience of imprisonment and its debilitating effects on inmates.

In this polemical study of the contemporary prison system, Shaw dismantles many of the standard arguments for harsh prison sentences. He argues that the impulse for retribution is at odds with the goal of reform, and that prison often fosters greater criminality rather than acting as a deterrent.

Ratings and reviews

When a person kills several people. Hell even hundreds in some cases in the world. When you say we will not punish you. They have a free pass to do it. If there was no imprisonment what would your punishment be? Fines? Restrictions? Death? Tell me a better punishments for the worse of crimes. Because I do not support releasing killers, let alone drug smugglers or a child molesters onto our streets. Especially when there is no consequence for there bad actions.

About the author

Bernard Shaw, acclaimed Irish playwright and Nobel laureate, has left an indelible mark on Western theater, culture, and politics. Over the course of his life, he wrote more than sixty plays that addressed prevailing social problems through comedy. Shaw was also a prolific essayist and lecturer on economics and sociological subjects, and was eventually awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work, marked by its use of stunning satire to encapsulate humanity.