The Prison and the Gallows: The Politics of Mass Incarceration in America is a new book by Marie Gottschalk of the University of Pennsylvania analyzing the reasons behind the tremendous growth in the prison population in the United States. The book examines issues of race, the intersection of prisons with women’s issues, and the consequences of widespread incarceration on society and the economy. The author delves into the recent history of the death penalty and relates it to the larger debates about crime and punishment. (Cambridge University Press 2006). See Books.