“I would like to be an instrument of social change to make prisons more humane,” Gibson said. “Prisons don’t have districts. I would like to be a voice for prison reform and take the opportunity to draw attention to the plight of prisoners.
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NM (PRWEB)
August 08, 2022
With extensive research, first-hand accounts and interviews with family members, author and University of New Mexico professor Dirk Cameron Gibson provides a multi-faceted historical account of one of the prison riots. most violent in American history.
In “The Incredible Ordeal of Michael Schmidt: The 1980 Riot at New Mexico Penitentiary,” Gibson provides readers with a detailed and exceptionally well-researched report on the 1980 riot that took place at New Mexico Penitentiary. The book also serves to highlight the critical importance of addressing prison reform to avert future riots across the country.
“I want to remind people that prisons are underfunded and prison reform is needed to prevent potential violence,” Gibson said.
Gibson was introduced to Michael Schmidt and his story of being violently attacked during the riot while serving as a correctional officer at the prison. Gibson took two and a half years to research and write the book, painstakingly gathering the details and allowing the research to guide the direction of the text. By sharing the findings of his investigation, Gibson aims to shed light on the riot, the circumstances that caused it, and ways to prevent future uprisings.
“I would like to be an instrument of social change to make prisons more humane,” Gibson said. “Prisons don’t have districts. I would like to be a voice for prison reform and take the opportunity to draw attention to the plight of prisoners.
“Michael Schmidt’s Incredible Ordeal: The 1980 New Mexico Penitentiary Riot”
By Dirk Cameron Gibson
ISBN: 9781665533508 (softcover); 9781665533492 (linked); 9781665533485 (electronic)
Available from AuthorHouse, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Dirk Cameron Gibson is a prolific author. He has published research books on a variety of topics, including serial murder, outer space studies, consumer product recalls, communication in legal practice, a rhetorical biography of J. Edgar Hoover. Gibson’s doctoral courses included two doctoral-level courses on the study of history, providing him with the knowledge necessary to analyze and interpret historical events. Additionally, his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in communications made it easier for him to understand the 1980 riot at New Mexico Penitentiary as a media event, desperate attempts by inmates to call for help in communicating their fate at the hands of correctional officers and prison officials. To learn more, visit dirkgibson.org.
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General Information:
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Beth Delville
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