Imprisoned Minds

Lost Boys, Trapped Men, and Solutions from Within the Prison

By Erik S. Maloney and Kevin A. Wright; Foreword by Shadd Maruna

SERIES: Critical Issues in Crime and Society

Rutgers University Press

In Imprisoned Minds, Erik Maloney tells the stories of men in prison that few people ever hear. Six gripping, first-person narratives of incarcerated men form his imprisoned mind concept: the men’s unimaginable childhood trauma and neglect set them on a pathway for prison or death. Maloney interviews his fellow prisoners with candor and savviness. He can do this because he is in prison alongside them—incarcerated for life at the age of twenty-one. Joined by a correctional scholar, Maloney presents a unique and informed perspective that blends lived experience with academic knowledge. A trauma-informed corrections can empower men to acknowledge and repair the harms of their past to regain control over their minds and their futures. Maloney has broken free from the mindset—and others can, too. Imprisoned Minds reminds us of the humanity of the nearly two million people behind bars in the United States and encourages solutions from within that can break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration.

Imprisoned Minds takes readers on a profound psychological journey through the landscape of childhood trauma, physical incarceration, and the relentless desire for freedom. Maloney’s storytelling and Wright's insights amplify the voices of countless incarcerated men, shedding light on the broader societal issues they face. This compelling narrative reveals the heartbreaking reality of young minds trapped in the cycle of abuse and imprisonment—roaming cities, lingering on street corners, hidden in drug dens, confined in the back of police cars, and lying in hospital beds. If there is any book that can help break this cycle, Imprisoned Minds is it! Shaka Senghor, bestselling author of Writing My Wrongs and Letters to the Sons of Society

Imprisoned Minds: Lost Boys, Trapped Men, and Solutions from Within the Prison is unlike any other book I have seen published in the field. The book is captivating, well written and draws the reader in, making it hard to put down.'
Cheryl Lero Johnson, co-author of Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences

This is an exciting and overdue contribution to both scholarly knowledge production and public policy. In clear, engaging writing, the authors challenge readers' preconceived notions about criminality as a fixed state of being. Imprisoned Minds suggests how we might break the cycle of incarceration through robust social and economic infrastructures of care.’
Meghan G. McDowell, Winston-Salem State University

ERIK S. MALONEY is a cofounding member of the Arizona Transformation Project. He works every day to change the world and leave it better than he found it. His focus is on redeeming his past through mentoring and positively influencing others. He currently develops and teaches classes to inspire and empower other prisoners.

KEVIN A. WRIGHT is an associate professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and director of the Center for Correctional Solutions at Arizona State University. He earned his PhD in criminal justice from Washington State University in 2010. His work focuses on enhancing the lives of people in the correctional system.

SHADD MARUNA is a professor in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen's University Belfast. His book Making Good: How Ex-Convicts Reform and Rebuild Their Lives was named the "Outstanding Contribution to Criminology" by the American Society of Criminology (ASC) in 2001.

Foreword by Shadd Maruna
Prologue
Introduction: The Imprisoned Mind
Part 1 Development
1          Kidd
I was never allowed to have closure, and because of that, it still doesn’t feel real to me.
2          Sergeant
This kind of robbed us kids of our childhood.
            Part II Progression
3          Oso
But she wasn’t accepting that, so I left.
4          Dee
His beatings did ignite in me one trait of his that I did possess…spitefulness.
            Part III Permanence
5          Oakland
So that meant I had to sell dope in order to make the kind of money I felt like I needed.
6          Unique
I was institutionalized. I was a mess.
            Part IV Outside + Inside Solutions
About-Faces by Kevin A. Wright
Conclusion: Liberation
Epilogue: Impermanence
Appendix
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index