Excessive Punishment: How the Justice System Creates Mass Incarceration, edited by Lauren-Brooke Eisen, is a vital and thought-provoking collection that lays bare the systemic failures of the U.S. justice system and its role in perpetuating mass incarceration. Through a series of essays from leading experts, the book provides a multidimensional critique of policies and practices that prioritize punishment over rehabilitation, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities.

Eisen skillfully curates voices that are both authoritative and compassionate, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of how structural inequities fuel the prison-industrial complex. The book doesn’t stop at diagnosis—it also provides actionable solutions, making it an essential guide for advocates, policymakers, and anyone seeking to address one of the most pressing human rights issues of our time.

Excessive Punishment is a sobering yet empowering read, shedding light on how we can dismantle harmful systems and build a justice framework rooted in fairness, equity, and restoration.

An amazing resource if you are interested or looking to learn more about mass incarceration in the United States.

An aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the use of multiple authors in essay format. This approach allowed for different voices and styles of writing to be introduced from academics, activists and formerly incarcerated persons, amongst others, which kept the perspectives fresh.

I would highly recommend this as a key book in ones reading journey to learning more about incarceration.