"After the Madness"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Sol Wachtler's "After the Madness", a riveting, powerful story about a distinguished public servant that finds himself on the other side of the law. The main character, who is also the author, writes about his experiences as a defendant and occupant of the criminal justice system in America. It looks at how the moral of the story, at least from Wachtler's perspective, is that the prison system is inherently flawed.

From the Paper:

"Wachtler suggests, implicitly and explicitly, a top-to-bottom reform of the prison system. He distinguishes drug and other nonviolent offenses from those involving violence. Those convicted of the latter would be much more suitable in the present system where guards are vicious, noise is unbearable, and danger is a constant. Those guilty of nonviolent crimes, Wachtler contends, deserve much better. They do not pose nearly the same threat to society they are hardly different from their contemporaries outside the walls of the prison. Nonviolent offenders, like Wachtler, are not criminals by nature, and need rehabilitation rather than imprisonment."

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