More and more women—mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, and sisters—are doing hard prison time all across the United States. Many of them are facing the prospect of years, decades, even lifetimes behind bars. Oddly, there’s been little public discussion about the dramatic increase of women in the prison system. What exactly is happening here, and why?

The answers are in Women Behind Bars, in which investigative journalist Silja Talvi sheds light on why American girls and women are being locked up at such unprecedented rates.

Talvi travels across the country to weave together interviews with inmates, correctional officers, and administrators, providing readers with a glance at the impact incarceration has on our society. With a combination of compassion and critical analysis, Talvi delivers a timely, in-depth analysis of a growing and extremely complicated issue. ( )

This book is well researched, well documented and beautifully told. Talvi steps behind the walls of various women's prison systems and gets right at the truth of what goes on. We're shown how the system treats women accused of committing crimes and the disparity with their male counterparts. We meet women who have suffered horribly from lack of medical care for health conditions unique to females. Some of the stories are heartbreaking, some enlightening and others infuriating. Everyone should read this book because what happens to these women ultimately affects us all. ( )