The New York Tombs: Inside and Out (Abridged, Annotated)

Book excerpt: For years, John Munro spent time inside the notorious Tombs Prison in New York, observing and working with inmates as a chaplain. In this graphic and sometimes horrifying account, he describes famous prisoners and their cases, conditions in the prison, and the corrosive effect of city corruption. Opened in 1838, by the time Munro began working there in the 1870s, the prison had become a waystation for the downtrodden with no real attempts at rehabilitation. Many of the social issues that Munro raises in this book are still part of our discussion of the criminal justice system today. This is a fascinating look at crime and criminals in one of America's worst prisons. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.