Editorial Review
A noteworthy review of Highly Guarded Places from Booklist on October 1, 2016
If the swirling lengths of razor wire don’t ensnare readers, the chance to look into a cell in the most secure prison in the U.S. will. Kicking off with bank robber Jack Powers’ prison escape and relocation to Colorado’s federal supermax prison, the Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX), this book explains the history and security features of supermaximum prisons and the types of criminals housed there. It focuses on ADX, home to Ted Kaczynski and Zacarias Moussaoui, but prisons such as Alcatraz and Eastern State Penitentiary are referenced as well. Photo illustrations show how supermax prisons utilize traditional and high-tech security features, and the text touches on the ethical debate surrounding the use of solitary confinement in these facilities. Engagingly written and surprisingly comprehensive, this entry in the Highly Guarded Places series will captivate readers.
—Julia Smith