Take the Reason Prisoner

"Take the Reason Prisoner" by John J. McGuire is a science fiction tale set in a futuristic penal colony during the 1960s. The story follows Major General James J. Bennington as he steps into the complex world of Duncannon Processing Prison as its new warden, only to find himself embroiled in a web of political intrigue and moral quandaries. He is quickly introduced to the prison's convoluted system and the manipulative agendas of the political figures surrounding it. Bennington soon confronts the harsh reality of questionable conditioning methods used on inmates, particularly those championed by Dr. Thornberry, the prison's chief psychologist. As Bennington struggles to adapt to his position, he questions the ethics of a system that purports rehabilitation while using psychologically invasive methods.