Not Giving Up on People

A Feminist Case for Prison Abolition

Arguing against incarceration by using feminist philosophy and moral psychology, Barrett Emerick and Audrey Yap bring theoretical arguments about personhood and moral repair into conversation with the practice of abolition. They develop the concept of moral abandonment and contrast it with moral solidarity as they argue that it is inherent in our present carceral practices.

Contemporary carceral systems in the United States and Canada fail to treat people as genuine moral agents in ways that also fail victims and their larger communities. As part of this argument, the book directly addresses one of the paradigm cases of wrongdoing often used to justify carceral systems: sexual violence. Current systems that treat sexual violence offenders as irredeemable monsters both obscure the reality of sexual violence and are harmful to everyone involved.

As an alternative to carceral systems, Barrett and Yap argue for an orientation towards justice grounded in the requirements of moral repair. This incorporates elements of restorative justice, mutual aid, and harm reduction. Instead of advocating for one specific and universal approach, the authors argue for a multigenerational collective action that aims to build resilient communities that support the wellbeing of all.

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