Beneath Our Numbers: A Collaborative Memoir From Inside Mass Incarceration

A collaborative memoir from deep inside mass incarceration within the United States, is a collection of essays written by individuals who have collectively spent well over a century behind bars. Though not intentional, the essays often reflect similar life experiences by individuals who have never met. There are recollections of violence, poverty, marginalization and trauma long before incarceration, and as the writing will suggest, many remain incarcerated long after incarceration serves the interest of justice or public safety. Among the writers are those who were sentenced as juveniles, those serving life without parole, those on death row, and those who are innocent. Each writer is a part of the Walk In Those Shoes (WITS) 501(c)(3) writing family and have come together through a shared love of writing and an effort to raise awareness. They are: