“The only one fuckin’ Eddie Coyle is Eddie Coyle.” (Higgins 133). In George Higgins’ novel The Friends of Eddie Coyle, small-time criminal Eddie Coyle faces the internal battle that is balancing a wholesome, ordinary life with his family and a life of crime and deception. At first glance, it is clear that Coyle should retire from his life of crime and find a respectable way of providing for his family that does not involve risking his freedom and life every day. However, in order to completely understand Coyle’s position, it is important to consider that crime is the only life he has ever known -- it is what he does best. Leaving what is familiar is terrifying, and Coyle knows this better than anyone. Taking a leap of faith toward the unknown requires courage and strength. These are what Coyle needs …show more content…
Rather than striving for change, he succumbs to both external and internal fears. He knows there is a better life he can live, and he believes he deserves more. Unfortunately, he is restricted by the many fears that come from his colleagues, society, and, most of all, himself. Coyle unintentionally pursued a fatal pattern in which he continued to engage in behaviors that lead to the very punishments he feared most. There are many unspoken rules of organized crime. The most important one is to keep what you know to yourself. However, criminals also have a tendency to look out for themselves above all others. These contradictory values will inevitably lead to someone’s demise -- whether it is prison time or a more severe, personal punishment. Eddie Coyle became the victim as a result of these complications. The sentencing awaiting Coyle in New Hampshire was enough to make him become an informer for detective Dave Foley. He then had the option of
" With violence affecting so many lives, one can understand the desire driven by fear to lock away young male offenders. But considering their impoverished, danger-filled lives, I wonder whether the threat of being locked up for decades can really deter them from crime" (305). Hopkins is definitely not our stereotypical prisoner. Most generally, our view of prisoners is not that of someone who has this profound use of wording and this broad sense of knowledge.
...they want to be not only respected but also being able to survive in the prison environment. In prison, there are so many inmates and not two inmates are the same. The inmates will disrespect the officers by calling them names, giving officers difficult times, but it goes the other way around too. It is disturbing image after learning that sometimes it is the officer’s fault and not just the inmates’ wrongdoings. There will be times when officers and inmates will engage in a conspiracy crime and times when the female staff is engaged in sexual actions with an inmate. Conover wrote this book to allow the audience to see the prison society from many different point-of-views and give future officers an early insight to becoming a correctional officer.
... by the end of the book believes the inmates are prone to violence and his sole purpose is to maintain order among a dehumanized group. It is far-fetched to ask someone like Conover to become a convict but I do believe that their perspectives would be insightful.
Academic colleagues like, David Greenburg, would have been exasperated, part from envy of McCullough’s ability in not only story telling but to sell and he would object to the approach of this book. The colleagues would tear at the lack of compelling rationale for an overused topic, as well as the scene setting, and meager analysis.
As I was completing this assignment, I was watching the infamous Netflix documentary entitled Making a Murderer. The documentary follows the story of Steven Avery, who is currently in prison for the death of a woman, Teresa Halbach, in 2005. Steven Avery has been denying any involvement in the murder of Teresa Halbach for the past eleven years. In the middle of the reading, the documentary was exploring and analyzing Steven Avery’s deviant behavior as a young man (Making). As I observed what was being discussed about Steven Avery, I was able to build the connection between how society, and the community from which he came from, perceived Steven Avery and what Kai Erikson discussed in the first couple pages of the book with regards to deviance and its relation with regards to society.
Throughout the tale of time, thoughts of revenge have corrupted even the most innocent of minds. In Andre Dubus’ “Killings”, Matt Fowler is conflicted by two opposing forces: his own desire and his wife’s demand for the death of their son’s murderer. Through her manipulative words and her emotional meltdowns, Matt Fowler ultimately succumbs to his wife’s request and commits the gruesome act, which causes the audience to reevaluate the appropriateness and cost of vigilante justice.
In comparison to Ted Conover and Newjack, Michael Santos in his book Inside: Life Behind Bars in America examines life in prison from an inmate’s perspective. While both Conover and Santos are examining a similar topic they have very differing points of view. Opposite of Conover, Santos describes corrections officers as menaces who use their power to manipulate and control the inmates. Santos also examines how violence was a major part of life in prison. Santos explains that violence was the only way to survive in prison and the only way to keep himself safe from other inmates.
Jacoby can be easily perceived as an upset and alarmed individual who blames the rise of criminal activity in the United States on the failure of the criminal justice system. He cares about people and believes that the safety of individuals is decreasing because criminals are not punished effectively by imprisonment and that some even receive a “sign of manhood” from going to prison (197). Additionally, he is upset that the ineffective system is so expensive. His concern for his audience’s safety and his carefully argued grounds, which he uses to support his claim, create a persona of an intelligent person of
Gary Watson shares the true story of the serial killer Robert Harris in his essay “Responsibility and the Limits of Evil”. This inclusive narrative shares of a man who was once a very sensible young boy who found himself on the south tier of Death Row in San Quentin Prison. Through this story, the reader learns first about Robert Harris’s crime and then about his upbringing. Both of which are stories that one could consider hard to read and even consider to be a true story. Those who knew Robert Harris claimed that he was a man that did not care about life. He did not care about himself nor anyone else. Each inmate and deputy, from the prision, who was questioned about
It is also all part of the economic and social scene of the correctional facility (jail) system, where it forms a great part of the management of the jail. It helps to keep the harsh rules the warden and guards apply to the inmates in place. Systemic corruption is not a special type of corrupt practice, but rather a situation in which this jail and process of rehabilitation of the prisoners is routinely dominated and used by the corrupt warden and the guards. The prisoners have no alternatives to dealing with the corrupt jail staff. Letters are censored of not delivered, visits are controlled and when a prisoner is a threat, the warden and guards get rid of them. Tommy Williams who could have given the warden information to prove that Andy Dufresne was actually innocent, was removed by the Warden when he had Captain Hadley shoot him while he tried to escape. This was a false claim but no-one could prove it. In the end the warden is caught out when Andy gives all the evidence he collected during the years in jail against the Warden to a newspaper for publication. The warden takes his own life and in a sense it is retribution for all the terrible things he did against the prisoners and the
Ralph, P.H.(1997). From Self Preservation to Organized Crime: The Evolution of Inmate Gangs. In J.W. Marquart, & J.R. Sorensen (Eds.). Correctional Contexts: Contemporary and Classical Readings (pp. 182-186). Los Angeles: Roxbury
Wanting to understand and be involved with putting the right criminal behind bars has always been a passion. Getting a better understanding of the criminal justice system explained how innocent can be convicted. During, this learning process it has been obvious that there are new and lethal forms of criminality, which can range from international terrorism to transnational syndicates.
There are many reason why an individual might decide to commit crime. There are many theorist that would try and explain the reason behind such immortal acts, to some it’s an act out of necessities and to others its lack of support and guidance. This paper will look at Paul Bernardo’s (The Scarborough Rapist) case and the different theories that could be used to explain his case. The three main Theorist this paper will focus on are Reckless’ Containment Theory, Hervey M. Cleckle the Mask of Sanity and Hare’s Psychopathy checklist.
Within this essay there will be a clear understanding of the contrast and comparison between left and right realism, supported by accurate evidence that will support and differentiate the two wings of realism.
The way he spoke about running the blocks and how all inmates needed something from him and the responsibilities that come with the different jobs he performed as a CO. All these things you have to do while still being accountable for all the inmates under your charge. But being a good CO isn’t just about good accountability, it’s about trying to be a mentor and role model to some people that may have not had a chance to learn better things or trades. People that didn’t get the opportunity in life to obtain a GED, or college education. The prison system is working towards a reform type approach which CO’s