TheU.S.incarcerationmachineimprisonsmorepeoplethaninanyothercountry.Music-MakinginU.S.Prisonslooksattherolemusic-makingcanplayinachievinggoalsofaccountabilityandhealingthatchallengethewidespreadassumptionthatprisonsandpunishmentkeepsocietiessafe.Thebook’ssynthesisofhistoricalresearch,contemporarypractices,andpedagogiesofmusic-makinginsideprisonsrevealsthat,priortothe1970stough-on-crimeera,choirs,instrumentalensembles,andradioshowsbridgedlivesinsideandoutsideprisons.Massincarcerationhadasignificantnegativeimpactonmusicprograms.Despitethissetback,currentprogramstestifytothepotencyofmusiceducationtosupportpersonalandsocialgrowthforpeopleexperiencingincarcerationanddeepensocialawarenessofthehumanityfoundbehindprisonwalls.CohenandDuncanarguethatmusic-makingcreatesopportunitiestohumanizethecomplexityofcrime,sustainmeaningfulrelationshipsbetweenincarceratedindividualsandtheirfamilies,andbuildsocialawarenessoftheprisonindustrialcomplex.Theauthorscombinescholarshipandpersonalexperiencetoguidemusiceducators,musicaficionados,andsocialactiviststocreaterestorativesocialpracticesthroughmusic-making.
