51 pages • 1 hour read
Devah PagerMarked: Race, Crime, and Finding Work in an Era of Mass Incarceration
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2007A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Marked: Race, Crime, and Finding Work in an Era of Mass Incarceration, Devah Pager explores the profound economic and social impacts of incarceration on young Black men seeking employment in Milwaukee. Using experimental audits, Pager demonstrates how race and criminal records adversely affect job prospects, highlighting systemic discrimination. The book delves into the mechanisms behind these outcomes, employer behaviors, and proposes policy alternatives to support rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Topics of mass incarceration, racial discrimination, and criminal backgrounds are discussed.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Devah Pager's Marked has been widely praised for its thorough research and impactful analysis of how criminal records affect employment opportunities for African Americans and whites. Reviewers commend the book's methodological rigor and important social insights. However, some noted it occasionally becomes overly academic, which might limit its accessibility to a general audience. Overall, a significant and insightful contribution to discussions on race and the criminal justice system.
Who Should Read Marked?
Readers interested in social justice, criminal justice reform, and employment discrimination will find Marked by Devah Pager compelling. Comparable to Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow, it appeals to those who appreciate rigorous sociological analysis and its real-world implications. Ideal for students, academics, and policy makers.