BOOK REVIEW by James J. Ives
OUTSIDERS LOOKING IN: HOW TO KEEP FROM GOING CRAZY WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE GOES TO JAILby Toni D. Weymouth and Maria Telesco We are a nation of handbooks: self-help guides, user manuals, instruc-tional aids, and do-it-yourself books. There are books that teach foreign languages, demystify computers, make gourmet cooking available to the novice, and walk you through virtually every legal procedure you may ever encounter, from filing for divorce, to changing your name, to writing your will. You can become an overnight expert on any topic from astrology to Zoroastrianism just by reading a book, popping a cassette into the tape deck, or clicking the mouse on your home PC.
However, "Outsiders Looking In: How to Keep from Going Crazy When Someone You Love Goes to Jail" is perhaps the first self-help manual written for the families and friends of those who have been accused or convicted of a crime. And with record numbers of average folks passing through the criminal justice mill today (an increase of 6 percent annually, including those on parole or sentenced to probation), the possibility of its happening to you or someone you know increases exponentially. Whether or not their loved one is actually guilty, it is the family members who suffer; deprived of love, companionship, and financial support; ostracized by relatives, neighbors, church, and community, they become the unseen victims of "the system."
The book is divided into two main parts, including a special section on the death penalty and an extensive list of resources.
Part One, entitled "Outsiders (Freedom)," is an introduction to the criminal justice system written for (and by) the families of the accused. It includes incarceration statistics and myths about crime in the U.S., a glossary of legal terms, advice from attorneys and other professionals, and horror stories from everyday people whose lives have been torn apart by the arrest and conviction of a loved one. There are exposés of recent legislation, such as the controversial mandatory minimum sentences (MMS) and the "Three Strikes" law, and an essential "Checklist That Could Save Your Life," which by itself is worth the price of the book. Compiled by the mothers of two men who were wrongly convicted of murder (one of whom attended law school, while the other became a paralegal), the list includes everything you need to know (and do) in the event of an arrest or conviction.
The second part of the book, "Insiders (The Bullet Never Stops)," offers multiple perspectives on prison life by former and current inmates, social workers, clerics, attorneys, correctional officers, and prison officials. Instead of a legal glossary, there is a list of ominous euphemisms coined by the prison industry (such as "correctional officer" for prison guard, and "lethal injection technician" for executioner) and a phrasebook of prison slang called "Talkin' the Talk." There is a first-hand account of a prison wedding, a guide for calling and visiting imprisoned family members, and an unbiased examination of prisoners' issues, including free speech, health care, education, and religion. There's even a section on "prison groupies" and a collection of jailhouse recipes ("Haute Cuisine in the Hoosegow").
Though incredibly comprehensive and exhaustively researched, the book does not belabor the reader with scholarly footnotes, complex charts, or legal statistics (though all the information is well documented and clearly attributed). Instead, it offers practical advice for family members and friends of the accused, presenting objective, well-balanced views from a wide range of sources. It takes a hard look at the harsh realities of the criminal justice system, forcing us to question our assumptions about what happens on the other side of the prison walls.
By presenting us with the very real possibility that the inmate locked inside might well be our neighbor, our spouse, even our own child, "Outsiders Looking In" breaks down the barriers that movies, TV, and popular culture erect against our capacity for understanding and compassion. Indeed, Weymouth's own initiation began with the arrest and near-fatal beating of her son following a routine traffic violation. Charged with felony evasion and resisting arrest, he was sentenced to three years for crimes invented to justify police brutality. This is "one of the most horrifying experiences a parent can go through," she affirms. Then there is the fear, uncertainty, and helplessness that accompany watching them go to prison.
Dedicated to "prisoners everywhere, their families and loved ones, and anyone ever accused of a crime," "Outsiders Looking In" offers hope to those on the inside; solace to their supporters on the outside; and knowledge and empowerment to those of us who, reading the book today, may be accused of a crime tomorrow.
"Outsiders Looking In: How to Keep from Going Crazy When Someone You Love Goes to Jail" by Toni D. Weymouth, Ed.D., and Maria Telesco, R.N., B.A., OLINC Publishing, Fresno, CA; 1998 $19.95; paperback; 351 pages.