Of the twenty-five worst shootings in the US since 1994 only one was committed by an African American. The vast majority of shootings, twenty-two of twenty-five, were committed by whites and Asians. And these are the two groups most underrepresented in our criminal justice system. It’s entirely conceivable that African-Americans are underrepresented in the annals of mass murders because of…
Tag: In Defense of Flogging
Don’t buy this essay!
Wow. You can buy an essay about my book, In Defense of Flogging. But it’s not very good. Really. It’s surprisingly crappy. Mostly because it’s not about me book. I would expect more for my money. On the other hand, this does appear to be free.
Flogging Gains Steam
There’s a bill to bring back corporal punishment(seemingly in lieu of incarceration) in Montana. It ain’t gonna happen, but still… Speaking of which, did I mention — gosh, no, I didn’t think I did — that In Defense of Flogging is out in paperback? Already? Where does time go? You might be thinking, “So light. So tidy. So cheap. Such…
“Peter Moskos doesn’t bullshit”
Check this out by Michael Corbin in Baltimore’s City Paper: Better of Two Evils. Makes me sound like such a intellectual bad-ass. And potty mouth. Fuckin’-A! Seriously though, it is very powerfully written. Makes me want to re-read my own books.
A most fabulous correction
From Salon.com, regarding an interview they did with me: The June 20, 2011, story “Could Flogging Solve Our Prison Crisis” initially stated that “the Corrections Corporation of America helped draft anti-immigration laws,” a reference to the draft legislation that later became Arizona SB 1070. CCA has brought it to our attention that although CCA did have a representative at the…
Couldn’t have said it better myself! (II)
So after an email correspondence with an editor at The New Yorker, they responded at length and denied pretty much everything: “The particular facts and comparisons you cite…don’t seem specific to your work.” Really?I beg to differ. But what can I do? I still think Adam Gopnik needed to cite me in the magazine. Gopnik now says rather nice things…
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I was flattered enough to send this letter to the New Yorker: To the Editor, As a long-time New Yorkersubscriber, I was thrilled to see Adam Gopnik’s recent article, “The Caging of America.” I appreciate Mr. Gopnik bringing this important subject to the attention of the New Yorker’sreaders (and I couldn’t…
Favorite Books of 2011
One of Mother Jones’s favorite books of 2011 is In Defense of Flogging. It makes a fabulous Christmas stocking stuffer, for all you Old Calendarists out there (just 10 shopping days left).
Flog It
Neil Steinberg wrote a good review of In Defense of Flogging in my old home-town Chicago Sun-Times. I’m particularly impressed that caught what I thought was obvious: Moskos has brilliantly used the old PR trick of marrying a complex, off-putting topic to a fascinating one. If you want to trick people into reading about penal reform, brandish a whip. And…
Brave Thinkers of the Year
The Atlantic’s annual list of Brave Thinkers just came out. I’m in it (and with some pretty impressive company)! Mind you, this doesn’t actually mean I’m a goodthinker… just a brave one.