Shane Bauer

Shane Bauer is an American journalist and author who has written extensively about the United States criminal justice system and its various facets, along with other topics related to human rights. Bauer was born in Wisconsin to a low-income working-class family and relocated to Berkeley, California at the age of 18 to pursue a degree in law at UC Berkeley. During his time at UC Berkeley, he became heavily involved in activism surrounding the rights of prisoners and wrote an investigative piece for The Nation magazine about a police department in Oakland that was known for its use of force.

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Bauer accepted a job with Mother Jones magazine and transitioned into a full-time journalism career. He has since written for publications including The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Intercept, Rolling Stone and more. In addition to his work as a journalist, Bauer is also the author of several books. His first book, American Prison, happened as a result of a research fellowship from the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley.

American Prison is an examination of the United States prison system, from its founding to its present-day operations. The book largely focuses on the private prison industry, following Bauer’s investigation into a private prison in Louisiana and the events that unfolded there. Bauer explores the various facets of the private prison industry, such as economic incentives, the mistreatment of inmates, the lack of oversight, and the exploitation of prisoners.

The book has been met with widespread acclaim and was recognized as one of the Best Books of 2017 by the New York Times. It has also been long-listed for the National Book Award in nonfiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Additionally, the book has drawn much attention to the prison industrial complex and its inhumane practices, inspiring wide-ranging policy discussions and changes within the criminal justice system.

Bauer’s second book, A Riot of Their Own, is a memoir of his time spent in an Iranian prison. In 2009, Bauer and two companions were detained for illegally crossing the Iran-Iraq border on a hiking trip. For two years, Bauer was jailed in solitary confinement, with limited access to normal amenities. The memoir recounts his experiences as well as his reflections on the injustices of the Iranian judicial system. It has been praised as an unflinching and insightful exploration of the human cost of a broken justice system.

Shane Bauer is not only a journalist, but a passionate advocate for the various systemic injustices and human rights abuses throughout the United States and abroad. His work has drawn attention to the brokenness of the criminal justice system and the destructive capabilities of private prison companies, and has inspired policy changes and reforms. His books are acclaimed as powerful examples of investigative journalism, illuminating stories of suffering and injustice that have been all but forgotten by mainstream society.