Prisoners after War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration

The United States has the largest, most expensive, and most powerful military and carceral system in the world, with over 100,000 veterans in prison today. Prisoners after War explores the lifelong effects of war, inequality, disability, and mental illness on incarcerated veterans, revealing stories of survival and redemption.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2024
Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press

The United States boasts the world's largest, most expensive, and most powerful military, as well as the largest, most expensive, and most punitive carceral system in history. Since the American War in Vietnam, the number of veterans who have been incarcerated after their military service has steadily increased, with over 100,000 veterans currently in prison.

Prisoners after War, by Jason A. Higgins, delves into the previously unrecognized connections between American wars and mass incarceration. It spans across lines of race, class, and gender to chronicle the untold history of incarcerated veterans over the past six decades. Through dozens of oral history interviews, Higgins explores the lifelong effects of war, inequality, disability, and mental illness on these individuals. He also investigates why hundreds of thousands of veterans, from Vietnam to Afghanistan, were caught up in the carceral system.

This groundbreaking study offers an intergenerational account of state-sanctioned violence, punishment, and inequality, while also revealing stories of survival and redemption. It sheds light on the potential for reform and reparative justice in addressing the challenges faced by veterans and their communities.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781625347541