After Prison--What?

"After Prison--What?" by Maud Ballington Booth is a passionate explanation of prison reform and the idea that people in prison can change for the good. Writing in the early 1900s, Booth shares a personal account where she calls prisoners "the boys," showing how much she trusts they can turn their lives around. She wants people to think differently about convicts and pushes for kindness, understanding, and real support for them to go back into community life without issues. At the start of the book, Booth makes it clear that she is committed to helping prisoners, pointing out that people should see them as human beings and not just criminals. She dedicates her book to prisoners, describing them as people who can be reformed if they get the proper support. She uses stories to show the troubles and strength of prisoners, proving that many of them are better than the bad things they did. Booth encourages readers to set aside their biases and recognize the good in people who are locked up, sending a strong message of hope and redemption all through the book.