"Life And Death In Rikers Island" is a terrifying read

Dr. Homer Venters’s interview about his new book with Fresh Air is not an easy read.

But then again, the subject of his book is the horrific conditions in correctional facilities.

Venters oversaw the care of thousands of inmates in the jails on Rikers Island, as the head of New York City’s Correctional Health Services.

He describes his time there in Life And Death In Rikers Island, which covers nine years of seeing abuse and neglect — but also of fighting for institutional changes that would be more humane.

Listen to Venters talk with Fresh Air’s Dave Davies below, or read the interview transcript on NPR’s website.