An in-depth exploration of the Don Jail from its inception through jailbreaks and overcrowding to its eventual shuttering and rebirth.
Conceived as a "palace for prisoners," the Don Jail never lived up to its promise. Although based on progressive nineteenth-century penal reform and architectural principles, the institution quickly deteriorated into a place of infamy where both inmates and staff were in constant danger of violence and death. Its mid-twentieth-century replacement, the New Don, soon became equally tainted.
Along with investigating the origins and evolution of Toronto's infamous jail, The Don presents a kaleidoscope of memorable characters - inmates, guards, governors, murderous gangs, meddlesome politicians, harried architects, and even a pair of star-crossed lovers whose doomed romance unfolded in the shadow of the gallows.
This is the story of the Don's tumultuous descent from palace to hellhole, its shuttering and lapse into decay, and its astonishing modern-day metamorphosis.
Speaker's Book Award 2021 - Shortlisted | Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book 2022 - Shortlisted
Autorentext
Lorna Poplak is a writer, editor, and researcher, with a fascination for the stories behind the facts of Canadian history. She lives in Toronto.
Inhalt
Introduction
Author's Note
Introduction
1. Out with the Old
2. Location, Location, Location
3. Paradise Lost
4. In with the New
5. Cornerstones
6. A Change of Plan
7. Fire
8. The End Result
9. Governor of Long Standing
10. Greener Pastures
11. Folk Hero
12. Vera Walks Free
13. A Fire Hand
14. War Hero
15. The Polka Dot Gang
16. The Great Escape
17. Cop Killers
18. The End of the Line
19. A New Beginning
20. Crowded Corner
21. At Death's Door
22. Down with the Don
23. From Bad to Worse
24. Adaptive Reuse
25. Digging Up the Past
26. Makeover
27. Remember the Don
Acknowledgements
Selected Bibliography
Image Credits
Index
About the Author