WAITING FOR AN ECHO The Madness of American Incarceration

This is a compelling, stunning, fascinating-like-a-car-wreck audiobook --a clear call for reform of both the American criminal justice and mental health systems. It is ably narrated by the author, Christine Montross, a psychiatrist with experience working in prisons. Montross relies heavily on the stories of individuals and the insane way the justice system treats people with mental health issues. She explores the damage that solitary confinement and incarceration in supermax (maximum security) prisons do to individuals, and the craziness of criminalizing behavior symptomatic of mental illness. Montross is a fine narrator of her own work. Her performance is steady and somewhat rhythmic in intonation. Though some may find her style a tad deliberate, her compassion and conviction are unmistakably clear. G.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2020]