InProfitandPunishment,aPulitzerPrize-winningjournalistexposesthetragedyofmodern-daydebtorsprisons,andhowtheydestroythelivesofpoorAmericanssweptupinasystemdesignedtopenalizethemostimpoverished.“Intimate,raw,andutterlyscathing“--HeatherAnnThompson,PulitzerPrize-winningauthorofBloodintheWater“Crucialevidencethatthejusticesystemisbrokenandhastobefixed.Pleasereadthisbook.“--JamesPatterson,#1NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorAsacolumnistfortheSt.LouisPost-Dispatch,TonyMessengerhasspentyearsincountyandmunicipalcourthousesdocumentinghowpoorAmericansareconvictedofminorcrimesandthensaddledwithexorbitantfinesandfees.Iftheyareunabletopay,theyareoftensenttoprison,wheretheyarethenchargedapay-to-staybill,inacyclethatsooncreatesamountainofdebtthatcantakeyearstopayoff.Theseinsidiouspenaltiesareusedtoraisemoneyforbrokenlocalandstatebudgets,oftenoverseenbyfor-profitcompanies,anditisoneofthecentralissuesofthecriminaljusticereformmovement.ProfitandPunishmentisacalltoarms,shiningalightonatwo-tieredsysteminvisibletomostAmericans.Messengerintroducesreaderstothreesinglemotherscaughtupinthissystem:livinginpovertyinMissouri,Oklahoma,andSouthCarolina,whoselivesareupendedwhenminoroffensesbecomemonumentalfinancialandpersonalcatastrophes.Asthesewomenstruggletocleartheirdebtandmoveonwiththeirlives,readersmeetthedoggedcivilrightsadvocatesandlawmakersfightingbytheirsidetocreateamoreequitableandfaircourtofjustice.Inthisremarkablefeatofreporting,TonyMessengerexposesinjusticethatisagonizingandinfuriatinginitsmundanecruelty,ashechampionstherightsanddignityofsomeofthemostvulnerableAmericans.
