Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$3.99

Available instantly

Hardcover
$31.51

Paperback
$16.74

$16.74 with 16 percent savings

List Price: $19.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Monday, March 31 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery Sunday, March 30. Order within 3 hrs 48 mins

In Stock

$$16.74 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$10.98

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

Missing cover page, but rest of book is in great condition. Price reflects missing page. Shows minor signs of wear. If book, may have light markings/highlighting. If workbook, has no markings. If dvd/cd/video game, may have light scratching. Missing cover page, but rest of book is in great condition. Price reflects missing page. Shows minor signs of wear. If book, may have light markings/highlighting. If workbook, has no markings. If dvd/cd/video game, may have light scratching. See less

FREE delivery Monday, March 31 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Friday, March 28. Order within 1 hr 3 mins.

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$16.74 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by TheMediaSource and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (44) from $2.65 + $3.98 shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Name: Inside: Life Behind Bars in America: Santos, Michael G.: 9780312343507: Amazon.com: Books
Price: 16.74 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (486 reviews)

Michael Santos

Follow

Inside: Life Behind Bars in America Paperback – June 26, 2007

by Michael G. Santos (Author)

4.4 486 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$16.74","priceAmount":16.74,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"74","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"QF1afmabtAptNAYUE%2FERA8PF9DxWbSJ4w46tyKePlIcNVgtUCO08eqy4H4m59VoIsVo9GElC3DuolF9hDUEgtjZjhyBYhh7XSQPIb%2FZG%2F8gp9UPQFVr03MXW7GO%2F9GVmPtMKgkGXlJA%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$10.98","priceAmount":10.98,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"10","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"98","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"QF1afmabtAptNAYUE%2FERA8PF9DxWbSJ4ggPK1TFLoyFnrU2z70k%2FIZAJky9u7gCgo8DCGuIL79rdD1GAHqYKIDDtoU9vIny3SokZJe1bTPQWvbO2JCUkTwRdJc3nyVjJMplXyGxAvWlkEGVQnuc%2FHOqIyJUvO4sND9UU7dflgFg6zergT%2BAE52d5PZMf9lPn","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Before Orange is the New Black, there was Inside.

American jails and prisons confine nearly 13.5 million people each year. Despite these disturbing numbers, little is known about life inside beyond the mythology of popular culture.

Michael G. Santos, a federal prisoner nearing the end of his second decade of continuous confinement, documents the lives of the men warehoused in the American prison system. Inside: Life Behind Bars in America, his first book for the general public, takes us behind those bars and into the chaos of the cellblock.

Capturing the voices of his fellow prisoners with perfect pitch, Santos makes the tragic―and at times inspiring―stories of men from the toughest gang leaders to the richest Wall Street criminals come alive. From drug schemes, murders for hire, and even a prostitution ring that trades on the flesh of female prison guards, this book contains the never-before-seen details of prison life that at last illuminate the varied ways in which men experience life behind bars in America.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“More than just a seamy look at prison life. A chilling, timely portrayal.” ―New York Times Book Review

“Inside is actually two books. The red meat of the book is a collection of more than 100 prisoners' accounts, including every gruesome detail… But between shocking tales of inmate misbehavior are Santos' convincing theories about what it all means.” ―Sean Bosker, New York Post

“The tone and his focus on other inmates' experiences rather than his own lend the book weight and authenticity, opening a window onto the corrupt, violent and ultimately counter-productive society of American prisons.” ―Edward Humes, Los Angeles Times

“Shocking and illuminating.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Inside is not recommended for the faint at heart. Santos eloquently and engagingly captures the subculture of the prisoner. Inside is a must-read.” ―Sam Torres, Ph.D., Professor of Criminal Justice, California State University, Long Beach, and Senior U.S. Probation Officer (Ret.)

From the Back Cover

American jails and prisons confine nearly 13.5 million people each year, and it is estimated that 6 to 7 percent of the U.S. population will be confined in their lifetimes. Despite these disturbing numbers, little is known about life inside beyond the mythology of popular culture.
Michael G. Santos, a federal prisoner nearing the end of his second decade of continuous confinement, has dedicated the last eighteen years to shedding light on the lives of the men warehoused in the American prison system. "Inside: " "Life Behind Bars in America," his first book for the general public, takes us behind those bars and into the chaos of the cellblock.
Capturing the voices of his fellow prisoners with perfect pitch, Santos makes the tragic--- and at times inspiring---stories of men from the toughest gang leaders to the richest Wall Street criminals come alive. From drug schemes, murders for hire, and even a prostitution ring that trades on the flesh of female prison guards, this book contains the never-before-seen details of prison life that at last illuminate the varied ways in which men experience life behind bars in America.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition (June 26, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312343507
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312343507
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #187,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #237 in Social Work (Books)
- #239 in Violence in Society (Books)
- #467 in Criminology (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 486 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Michael Santos

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Michael Santos writes books, articles, and online MasterMind courses to help people understand America's prison system, the people it holds, and strategies to succeed through prison.

Authorities arrested Michael in 1987, when he was 23 years old, for trafficking in cocaine. Michael served the next 26 years in federal prisons of every security level. While incarcerated, Michael earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. He published books and articles to spread awareness about the consequences of mass incarceration.

While serving multiple decades in prisons of every security level, Michael built an extensive support network. Three weeks after concluding his obligation to the Bureau of Prisons, San Francisco State University hired Michael to serve as an adjunct professor. He taught a course called the Architecture of Incarceration. The national media has covered Michael's work extensively. He encourages others to complete do their due diligence with Internet searches to see the value that comes with the depth and breadth of his experience.

Michael continues to write content for MichaelSantos.com and PrisonProfessor.com and he hosts the Earning Freedom podcast. He offers coursework and lesson plans to position defendants for the lowest possible prison sentence, to serve the sentence in the best possible environment, and most importantly, to emerge successfully.

Customer reviews

486 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book provides an insightful look into prison life through the eyes of an actual prisoner. They describe it as a good, fascinating read with a well-written style and attention to detail. Readers appreciate the educational value and graphic content, including vivid color depictions of the system. However, some feel the system is broken and not working properly.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Insight into prison life Readability Writing style Educational value Character development Graphic content System functionality

61 customers mention "Insight into prison life"58 positive3 negative

Customers find the book provides an insightful look into prison life through the eyes of an actual prisoner. It has compelling stories and informative details about different levels of prison and lack of corrections. The writing is clear and captivating, inspiring hope. Overall, readers appreciate the book's ability to provide valuable insight where inmates could not.

"...He describes life in jail, etc in enough detail to understand what life in jail is all about...." Read more

"...He tells his story chronologically, starting with what he saw in maximum security prisons, through medium security, to the minimum security "camp"..." Read more

"...as a solid subject-matter expert who has analyzed and experienced the realities of prison life in a way that separates the layers of this complex..." Read more

"...His stories about life behind bars are fascinating...." Read more

51 customers mention "Readability"51 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They say it's an important read for those interested in criminal justice studies and a must-read for citizens who want to understand the issues. The author is described as a great writer and praised for his perseverance and focus on goals.

"...It's a great read and I highly recommend this book if you're interested in what it's like in jail (which is horrible btw!!),..." Read more

"...Overall, an excellent read." Read more

"..."Inside" does this for the reader. This man, Michael Santos, is a great writer, and i hope to read more books by him...." Read more

"Michael Santos has written a powerful book about what it is like to be inside the US federal prison system, from maximum security down to minimum..." Read more

37 customers mention "Writing style"37 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's writing style engaging and well-crafted. They appreciate the author's attention to detail and compelling points. The book is described as a quick read that provides an insightful look into the subject matter.

"...The author has a very easy writing style that keeps your interest...." Read more

"...that the manuscript has not been heavily edited, Santos' writing style is clear and straightforward. The cast of characters is long...." Read more

"..."Inside" does this for the reader. This man, Michael Santos, is a great writer, and i hope to read more books by him...." Read more

"...book is rather shockingly negative, but the power and determination displayed by the author, a cocaine dealer sentenced to over 30 years in prison,..." Read more

32 customers mention "Educational value"32 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and insightful. They appreciate the author's subject-matter expertise and detailed writing from an insider's perspective. The book provides a valuable look into the world and how government policies affect it. Many readers consider it a great addition to colleges' criminal justice programs.

"...This book could be a great addition to colleges (crim. justice programs). It provides a wealth of info, FINALLY told by someone who speaks the truth...." Read more

"...Santos establishes himself as a solid subject-matter expert who has analyzed and experienced the realities of prison life in a way that separates..." Read more

"...I found the book rather informative, but have some issues with it...." Read more

"This was well written and very informative, but I did find myself bored several times and wondering about the author's experience and responses to..." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the character development. They find Michael Santos an intelligent and amazing person. The cast of characters is long and well-written.

"...The cast of characters is long. Each chapter details an interesting experience (of violence, prison administration, daily life, etc.)..." Read more

"...He is quite a character...i won't give anything away about his story though. Read the book to find out......" Read more

"Michael Santos is an amazing person...." Read more

"...A should read for every citizen. Well written, human and gut wrenching." Read more

6 customers mention "Graphic content"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's graphic content. They find it informative and say the author shows us in vivid color what we don't want to see.

"...He not only brings us into his cell and sentence, he shows us in vivid color what we don't want to see or believe...." Read more

"...This book was interesting in its look at a variety of security levels and types of facilities." Read more

"A very detailed and graphic look inside prison. I have not had any experience inside prison, just being a pen pal to prisoners...." Read more

"...Inside is very graphic, informative, moves fast and is hard to put down. I gave it to my 81 year-old father and he enjoyed it as well...." Read more

4 customers mention "System functionality"0 positive4 negative

Customers are unhappy with the system's functionality. They say it's broken and doesn't work properly.

"...in how inmates are treated, which well explains why the system does not work properly...." Read more

"...In other words the system is not working! After reading this book you will understand why it is not working...." Read more

"...The system is very broken...now how do we encourage the average US citizen and politician to pay attention enough to correct it going forward?" Read more

"...The rehabilitation system doesn't work and Santos explains why...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

MT
Well written, if you want to know what jail/prison/penitentiary life is like, this is your book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024
Verified Purchase

Having my undergrad and graduate degrees in psychology, I've always been interested in the criminal mind AND what life is like in jail/prison/penitentiary. The author has a very easy writing style that keeps your interest. He describes life in jail, etc in enough detail to understand what life in jail is all about. He writes as a participant in jail and not as a victim of being in jail; he's accepting responsibility for his actions/crimes that put him in jail. It's a great read and I highly recommend this book if you're interested in what it's like in jail (which is horrible btw!!), or going to jail and need to be prepared for what's in your future. Bottom line...don't commit a crime that will put you 'away', it's a daily struggle to survive and/or stay alive!

Read more

Helpful

Report
Howard Goldowsky
Santos is a Genuine Voice
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2008
Verified Purchase
Santos wrote this book from prison, using pen and paper. He sent each portion of the manuscript to his wife, so she could type it up and send it to the editor. Santos has never seen a modern word processor. He has been in prison since the mid-eighties. The book is most similar to a first-person journalistic narrative about what it's like to live in prison. Santos has been through all security levels, and he describes what goes on at each level. He tells his story chronologically, starting with what he saw in maximum security prisons, through medium security, to the minimum security "camp" he lives in today. Assuming that the manuscript has not been heavily edited, Santos' writing style is clear and straightforward. The cast of characters is long. Each chapter details an interesting experience (of violence, prison administration, daily life, etc.) he's had or a fellow inmate has had while serving time. Santos writes from experience, and backs up his observations with hundreds of hours of personal interviews with his fellow convicts.

Here's what I took away from the book:
1. The higher the security level, the more violence. High security prisoners, at least the younger ones, are still motivated by gang membership and drugs, and have not yet figured out how to prepare for release -- this is often because they can't imagine a "light at the end of the tunnel."
2. Santos started preparing for his release right from the beginning. He has managed to stay out of trouble, presumably through his intelligence and desire to write. Writing has motivated him for years. We constantly hear how Santos is happy to pay his time to society. (He was sentenced for drug trafficing.)
3. The government's perspective on prisons has not changed in centuries. Santos argues that there is little going on in terms of rehibilitation, and he returns to this premise over and over in the book, with various examples of how prisoners prefer violance to penitence.
4. The dialogue is excellent. Like a professional writer, Santos captures the street slang excellently. Why not? He's there.
5. Santos hopes to inspire others in prison to take his lead and follow his path. He has a Web site at michaelsantos.net.

Although Santos does explain that it's always the few "bad apples" that perpetuate the violent prison culture, as well as explain how most time is boring filled with episodes of terror, as a reader I didn't quite get this. Santos details scenes to which he's been privy, like druck deals, planned stabbings, prostitution, etc.; he gives us less detail about how he has managed to stay motly out of trouble himself, less detail about the "good apples," and less detail about how he has managed his emotions and boredom throughout his served time. I also thought that he treated the corrections officers a little less fairly than they deserved; but given the culture he lives in, this is understandable. Overall, an excellent read.

Read more

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
1Life
Excellent, should be used in colleges
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2007
Verified Purchase
i thought this book was excellent. when i was online looking for a book about prison(s), i wanted a book that was real, raw, edgy, and would hit hard... This book definitely does... I searched out alot of titles on amazon, even the ones that are in this page they say you should buy, but Inside sounded like the best one and from the reviews, just what i was looking for in a book.

There are alot of stories in here from ppl the author has met and done time with. Ppl from Bloods, Crips, La Eme, etc... One of my fave ppl in this book to read about was Crip Tank. He is quite a character...i won't give anything away about his story though. Read the book to find out...

This book could be a great addition to colleges (crim. justice programs). It provides a wealth of info, FINALLY told by someone who speaks the truth. While looking for a book like this, i wanted to gain knowledge from the person inside who was actually living this life everyday, experiencing what goes on in prison, unlike a warden who just runs it. A warden who writes the book is either going to write it the way he wants to tell it, and make prison seem like a bad place to go (of course), but he's going to write more about the enforcement side of things. he may not write about actual stuff that actually goes down.. A warden might be more concerned about the law side of the book, what his guards go thru. We all know what the law side goes thru, but what does the inmate actually go thru? I want to hear that story, and i want to hear it from the source, the inmate himself, not the warden.

"Inside" does this for the reader. This man, Michael Santos, is a great writer, and i hope to read more books by him. I only hope that the prison system allows him to be able to release more books. He writes about his difficulty and what he went thru in order to release this one. I feel bad that this man has to or has had to serve time as long as he did for just drug slanging. It is unfortunate for him at the time of his arrest that they wanted to make an example out of him by giving him a 45 yr sentence for just drug distro... 45 yrs for that?? We have murderers in society today who may get less then that!! But then again, it is the life he chose and his mistake. If i had been the judge, i wouldn't have given him 45 yrs though, not even 20 yrs... Not for that offense. He is right when he writes about america giving these hefty sentences these days. He is right when he says that some of these prisons are designed to make a more hardened criminal and they are not interested in reform.

Prisons are a business just like anything else.. Why else would they pack the prison w/ weights, boxing bags, instead of education items... let's make a better criminal instead of educating his mind so he won't come back here. No let's make him stronger so he can come back and we can abuse him more, etc...

The author also writes about stuff like this...

This is a very good book... I learned alot from reading it. I really feel like writing the author, and if i can find his address somewhere, i def will.

Check out his website: [...]

He writes that his wife sends him messages from that site. i will be checking it out for sure.

Read more

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Kent
Amazing, well written, mind blowing
Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2021
Verified Purchase

So well written, it’s literally ruined me for other sub par writing. Can’t handle less than the perfection this book delivers.

Read more
Report
Dundrum
Brutal truth about the American Prison System
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 2008
Verified Purchase
A brutal and honest account of one mans time in the U.S prison system.
It has some horrendous chapters dealing with prison violence not for the faint-hearted.Well worth a read.

Read more
Report
SZ
raw
Reviewed in Canada on August 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
The language and descriptions are raw and I felt at times like I was inside the prison myself. The amount of reflection and details are astonishing considering the restrictions placed in the author when he was inside the prison system. The take home messages are key and could have been highlighted more frequently. Similarly, there are so many characters that it gets quite confusing at times and so summaries of stories linking them to a "so what" factor of why that story was important could help readers understand what the author is trying to say. Overall, a good read that instils a lot of insight however can be lengthy and hard to want to read on at times.

Read more
Report
Surveyor
brilliant....... but.......
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book is very interesting and useful, the author captures in great detail the ins and outs of the penal system, however when the author quotes fellow inmates, his writing style is literal rather then readable, even though I understand the lingo it still can be a little off putting. Other then that small complaint its a very useful and truthful account on the penal system. Defiantly worth the read.

Read more
Report
D
Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on November 26, 2015
Verified Purchase
Fun. Maybe a bit scary and shocking at times.

Welcome to the jungle.

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

Inside: Life Behind Bars in America Paperback – June 26, 2007

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Frequently purchased items with fast delivery

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Michael Santos

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written, if you want to know what jail/prison/penitentiary life is like, this is your book!

4.0 out of 5 stars Santos is a Genuine Voice

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, should be used in colleges

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, well written, mind blowing

5.0 out of 5 stars Brutal truth about the American Prison System

4.0 out of 5 stars raw

4.0 out of 5 stars brilliant....... but.......

4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars

Well written, if you want to know what jail/prison/penitentiary life is like, this is your book!

Santos is a Genuine Voice

Excellent, should be used in colleges

Amazing, well written, mind blowing

Brutal truth about the American Prison System

raw

brilliant....... but.......

Four Stars