Behind Bars: Latino(a)s and Prison in the United States

Prisons and the multiple ways that Latino/as have developed to combat the pervasive inhumane acts visited on them are the core of this anthology. Its combination of scholarly presentations, interviews, poetry, visual arts, and narratives of the inmates' lived experiences situates the realities of prison and its aftermath in the discussion about the ideals of individual freedom and rights. The authors highlight the attempts to normalize the systematic dehumanization of incarcerated Latino/as by “walling off” and sanitizing the urgent problems their very presence inevitably poses. This book argues for the societal responsibility to uphold the dignity of all peoples, irrespective of their histories and status in their respective societies. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Introduction: “Viviendo en el olvido ...”: Behind Bars—Latino/as and Prison in the United States......Page 10 Part I: The Issues......Page 24 1 Latino/as and U.S. Prisons: Trends and Challenges......Page 26 2 Pursuant to Deportation: Latinos and Immigrant Detention......Page 48 3 “Nuestras vidas corren casi paralelas”: Chicanos, Independentistas, and the Prison Rebellions in Leavenworth, 1969–72......Page 76 4 The Racial Politics of Youth Crime......Page 106 5 Caught in the Net: Language and Cultural Resistance among Latina Adolescents in Juvenile Detention......Page 122 6 Lost Votes, Lost Bodies, Lost Jobs: The Effects of Mass Incarceration on Latino Civic Engagement......Page 142 Part II: The Lived Experience......Page 158 7 Checkpoint in Montebello: Inciting Riots, Up Against the Wall, and Earning the Right to be on the Street with Signs that Say “Retén”......Page 160 8 The Interpreter as a Bridge: Language Issues in Chicago’s Cook County Jail......Page 164 9 Interpreting After the Largest ICE Raid in U.S. History: A Personal Account......Page 168 10 Waste Is a Terrible Thing to Mind......Page 184 11 Closing The Gap: Mentoring Latina Students to Reach Out to Incarcerated Latinas......Page 190 Part III: The Art of Resistance......Page 196 12 Latino Visual Culture Behind Bars: Artistic Inspiration and Redemption Within the Bowels of Despair......Page 198 13 “Troubadour of Justice”: An Interview With raúlrsalinas......Page 222 14 Peltier 1 / Peltier 2......Page 232 15 “Estoy como cuero de jicotea, que ni las balas me pasan”: An Interview with Rafael Cancel Miranda......Page 236 16 La alegría de tener vergüenza......Page 244 Part IV: The Way Forward......Page 246 17 Chicana(o)/Latina(o) Prisoners: Ethical and Methodological Considerations, Collaborative Research Methods, and Case Studies......Page 248 18 Toward a Pinta/o Human Rights? New and Old Strategies for Chicana/o Prisoner Research and Activism......Page 270 Contributors......Page 290 A......Page 294 C......Page 295 E......Page 297 G......Page 298 I......Page 299 J......Page 300 L......Page 301 M......Page 302 P......Page 303 R......Page 306 S......Page 307 V......Page 308 Z......Page 309 Viviendo En El Olvido-- : Behind Bars : Latino/as And Prison In The United States / Suzanne Oboler -- Latinas/os And U.s. Prisons : Trends And Challenges / José Luis Morín -- Pursuant To Deportation : Latinos And Immigrant Detention / David Manuel Hernández -- Nuestras Vidas Corren Casi Paralelas : Chicanos, Independentistas, And The Prison Rebellions In Leavenworth, 1969-72 / Alan Eladio Gómez -- The Racial Politics Of Youth Crime / Victor M. Rios -- Caught In The Net : Language And Cultural Resistance Among Latina Adolescents In Juvenile Detention / Laurie Schaffner -- Lost Votes, Lost Bodies, Lost Jobs : The Effects Of Mass Incarceration On Latino Civic Engagement / Juan Cartagena -- Checkpoint In Montebello : Inciting Riots, Up Against The Wall, And Earning The Right To Be On The Street With Signs That Say Retén / Mercedes Victoria Castillo -- The Interpreter As A Bridge : Language Issues In Chicago's Cook County Jail / Laura E. Garcia -- Interpreting After The Largest Ice Raid In U.s. History : A Personal Account / Erik Camayd-freixas -- Waste Is A Terrible Thing To Mind / Dicxon Valderruten -- Closing The Gap : Mentoring Latina Students To Reach Out To Incarcerated Latinas / Marcia Esparza -- Latino Visual Culture Behind Bars : Artistic Inspiration And Redemption Within The Bowels Of Despair / Victor Alejandro Sorell -- Troubadour Of Justice : An Interview With Raúlrsalinas / Alan Eladio Gómez -- Peltier I/peltier Ii / Raúlrsalinas -- Estoy Como Cuero De Jicotea, Que Ni Las Balas Me Pasan : An Interview With Rafael Cancel Miranda / Gabriel Torres Rivera -- La Alegría De Tener Vergüenza / Rafael Cancel Miranda -- Chicana(o)/latina(o) Prisoners : Ethical And Methodological Considerations, Collaborative Research Methods, And Case Studies / Juanita Díaz-cotto -- Toward A Pinta/o Human Rights? New And Old Strategies For Chicana/o Prisoner Research And Activism / B.v. Olguín. Edited By Suzanne Oboler. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Vivir en el olvido : behind bars-Latino/as and prison in the United States / Suzanne Oboler -- Latinas/os and US prisons : trends and challenges / José Luis Morín -- Pursuant to deportation : Latinos and immigrant detention / David M. Hernández -- 'Nuestras vidas corren casi paralelas' : chicanos, independentistas, and the prison rebellions in Leavenworth, 1969-1972 / Alan Eladio Gómez -- The racial politics of youth crime / Victor M. Ríos -- Latinas in U.S. juvenile detention : turning adversity to advantage / Laurie Schaffner -- Lost votes, lost bodies, lost jobs : the effects of mass incarceration on Latino civic engagement / Juan Cartagena -- Checkpoint in Montebello : inciting riots, up against the wall and earning the right to be on the street with signs that say, "retén" / Mercedes Castillo -- The interpreter as a bridge : language issues in Chicago's Cook County jail / Laura E. Garcia -- Interpreting after the largest ice raid in U.S. history : a personal account / Erik Camayd-Freixas -- Waste is a terrible thing to mind / Dicxon Valderruten -- Closing the gap : mentoring Latina students to reach out to incarcerated Latinas / Marcia Esparza -- Latino visual culture behind bars : artistic inspiration and redemption within the bowels of despair / Victor A. Sorell -- "I was armed with my dignity intact." An interview with Raúlrsalinas / Alan Eladio Gómez -- Peltier I ; peltier II / Raúlrsalinas -- "Estoy como cuero de jicotéa, que ni las balas me pasan" : an interview with Rafael Cancel Miranda / Gabriel Torres Rivera -- La alegría de tener vergüenza / Rafael Cancel Miranda -- Chicana(o)/Latina(o) prisoners : ethical and methodological considerations, collaborative research methods and case studies / Juanita Díaz-Cotto -- Chicano convicts, human rights regimes and a new paradigm for prisoner rights activism today / B.V. Olguín Vivir en el olvido : behind bars-Latino/as and prison in the United States / Suzanne Oboler Latinas/os and US prisons : trends and challenges / José Luis Morín Pursuant to deportation : Latinos and immigrant detention / David M. Hernández 'Nuestras vidas corren casi paralelas' : chicanos, independentistas, and the prison rebellions in Leavenworth, 1969-1972 / Alan Eladio Gómez The racial politics of youth crime / Victor M. Ríos Latinas in U.S. juvenile detention : turning adversity to advantage / Laurie Schaffner Lost votes, lost bodies, lost jobs : the effects of mass incarceration on Latino civic engagement / Juan Cartagena Checkpoint in Montebello : inciting riots, up against the wall and earning the right to be on the street with signs that say, "retén" / Mercedes Castillo The interpreter as a bridge : language issues in Chicago's Cook County jail / Laura E. Garcia Interpreting after the largest ice raid in U.S. history : a personal account / Erik Camayd-Freixas Waste is a terrible thing to mind / Dicxon Valderruten Closing the gap : mentoring Latina students to reach out to incarcerated Latinas / Marcia Esparza Latino visual culture behind bars : artistic inspiration and redemption within the bowels of despair / Victor A. Sorell "I was armed with my dignity intact." An interview with Raúlrsalinas / Alan Eladio Gómez Peltier I ; peltier II / Raúlrsalinas "Estoy como cuero de jicotéa, que ni las balas me pasan" : an interview with Rafael Cancel Miranda / Gabriel Torres Rivera La alegría de tener vergüenza / Rafael Cancel Miranda Chicana(o)/Latina(o) prisoners : ethical and methodological considerations, collaborative research methods and case studies / Juanita Díaz-Cotto Chicano convicts, human rights regimes and a new paradigm for prisoner rights activism today / B. V. Olguín.

Prisons and the multiple ways that Latino/as have developed to combat the pervasive inhumane acts visited upon them are the core of this anthology. Its combination of scholarly presentations, interviews, poetry visual arts, and personal narratives of prisoners' lived experiences situates the realities of incarceration and its aftermath in current discussions about the ideals of individual freedom and rights. The authors highlight the attempts to normalize the systematic dehumanization of incarcerated Latino/as by "walling off" and sanitizing the urgent problems their very presence inevitably poses. This book reminds us all of our responsibility not to allow the "out of sight" to remain "out of mind." It argues for a renewed societal commitment to uphold the dignity of all peoples, irrespective of their histories and status society.

This book addresses the complex issue of incarceration of Latino/as and offers a comprehensive overview of such topics as deportations in historical context, a case study of latino/a resistance to prisons in the 70s, the issues of youth and and girls prisons, and the post incarceration experience. This book addresses the complex issue of incarceration of Latino/as and offers a comprehensive overview of such topics as deportations in historical context, a case study of latino/a resistance to prisons in the 70s, the issues of youth and and girls prisons, and the post incarceration experience