The prison industrial complex is a system in which prisons are used as a way to control and profit off of incarcerated people. This system disproportionately targets black and brown bodies, as well as poor people. There are a lot of books that explore the different facets of this system and how it affects people's lives. Here is a list of some books that can help educate you on the prison industrial complex and how to abolition it.
"Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex" by Eric A. Stanley and Nat Smith
This book explores how transgender people are disproportionately affected by the prison industrial complex. It discusses how trans people are often targeted by law enforcement and how they are mistreated while incarcerated. This book is important for anyone who wants to learn more about how trans people are impacted by the prison industrial complex.
"The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander
This book is about how the War on Drugs disproportionately affects black and brown communities. It provides an in-depth look at how the criminal justice system is used to target these communities and keep them incarcerated. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the origins of the prison industrial complex.
"Are Prisons Obsolete?" by Angela Davis
In this book, Angela Davis explores the history of prisons and how they've been used to control marginalized communities. She also offers some solutions for how we can move away from using prisons as a way to control people. This book is a great starting point for understanding why we need to abolish the prison industrial complex.
There are a lot of books that explore different aspects of the prison industrial complex. These books can be helpful in educating yourself on this system and how it affects different communities. If you're interested in learning more about the prison industrial complex and how to abolition it, then check out one of these books!