New Books Network Ghost in the Criminal Justice Machine
Jan 29, 2026
Emile Suotonye DeWeaver, formerly incarcerated organizer and author whose sentence was commuted after 21 years, draws on prison journalism and activism. He critiques how white supremacy shapes reforms and parole, exposes hidden forces that extend sentences, and explores power redistribution, collective care, and models that center incarcerated leadership.
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Confronting Prison Homophobia
- Emile Suotonye DeWeaver recounts confronting a friend who disparaged a trans visitor in prison and calls that behavior white supremacy.
- He felt torn because the same man was a committed radical, exposing how oppressive culture infects even allies.
White Supremacy As Culture And Structure
- DeWeaver defines white supremacy as an ideology normalized into culture that produces enforcing structures and hierarchies of power.
- He emphasizes that 'white' functions as a metaphor for power, not merely skin color.
Performance Shifts Power To Nonprofits
- Emile describes a prisoner performing his life story to donors whose support flowed to the nonprofit rather than to the performer.
- He used that moment to notice how funding and prestige accrue to outside organizations, not incarcerated leaders.
