Too Easy to Keep : Life-Sentenced Prisoners and the Future of Mass Incarceration

Life-sentenced prisoners are a growing proportion of America’s incarcerated population. __Too Easy to Keep__ provides a thorough assessment of the consequences of this monumental shift. It examines the implications of growing numbers of life sentences for both prisoners serving that sentence and the prisons that house them. It draws upon extensive interviews with life-sentenced prisoners and prison staff in two Washington facilities. The data demonstrate that many lifers build lives of considerable purpose and meaning, and devote themselves to improving the circumstances of others. They become, in prison terms, “easy keepers,” and provide considerable stability to the institutions that house them. Yet as they age and decline, life-sentenced prisoners prove harder to accommodate. Prison staff thus struggle to meet the needs of this rapidly-growing population. __Too Easy to Keep__ reviews the challenges that aging prisoners will pose, and thereby provides much cause for a reconsideration of America’s punishment policies. 'some Guys Don't Break Any Rules. They Do Their Jobs, They Go To School, They Don't Commit Any Infractions, They Keep Their Cells Clean And Tidy, And They Follow The Rules. And Usually Those Are Our Lwops [life Without Parole]. They're Usually Our Easiest Keepers.' Too Easy To Keep Provides Directs Much-needed Attention Toward A Neglected Group Of American Prisoners--the Large And Growing Population Of Those Inmates Serving Life Sentences. Relying Heavily On Extensive Interviews With Lifers And With Prison Staff, Too Easy To Keep Charts The Challenges That A Life Sentence Poses--both To The Prisoners And To The Staffers Charged With Caring For Them. Surprisingly, Many Lifers Show Remarkable Resilience And Craft Lives Of Notable Purpose. Yet Their Eventual Decline Will Pose Challenges For The Institutions That House Them. Rich In Data, Too Easy To Keep Illustrates The Harsh Consequences Of Excessive Sentences And Demonstrates A Keen Need To Reconsider Punishment Policy--provided By Publisher. Introduction : The Easy Keeper -- Becoming Easy -- Being Easy Isn't Easy -- When Easy Becomes Hard -- Let's All Be Easy. Steve Herbert. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. “Some guys don’t break any rules. They do their jobs, they go to school, they don’t commit any infractions, they keep their cells clean and tidy, and they follow the rules. And usually those are our LWOPs [life without parole]. They’re usually our easiest keepers.”
 
Too Easy to Keep directs much-needed attention toward a neglected group of American prisoners—the large and growing population of inmates serving life sentences. Drawing on extensive interviews with lifers and with prison staff, Too Easy to Keep charts the challenges that a life sentence poses—both to the prisoners and to the staffers charged with caring for them. Surprisingly, many lifers show remarkable resilience and craft lives of notable purpose. Yet their eventual decline will pose challenges to the institutions that house them. Rich in data, Too Easy to Keep illustrates the harsh consequences of excessive sentences and demonstrates a keen need to reconsider punishment policy.
  Contents Preface and Acknowledgments Introduction: The Easy Keeper Chapter One. Becoming Easy Chapter Two. Being Easy Isn’t Easy Chapter Three. When Easy Becomes Hard Chapter Four. Let’s All Be Easy Notes References Index