Paul Butler was an ambitious federal prosecutor, a Harvard Law grad who gave up his corporate law salary to fight the good fight — until one day he was arrested on the street and charged with a crime he didn't commit.

At the courthouse Butler stood alongside the people he'd spent his days sending to prison. This stint on the other side of the law confirmed his sense that the system was not working — not making the streets safer, nor helping the people he'd hoped, as a prosecutor, to protect.

Let’s Get Free gives an insider’s view of the lock-’em-up culture that makes every American worse off. We’ve reached the tipping point—so many people are in prison, especially for nonviolent drug offenses, that incarceration now causes more crime than it prevents. Butler offers innovative methods for citizens to resist complicity and stand up for their rights.

Chock-full of great stories and cutting-edge insight, this accessible and lively critique will change the way you think about crime and punishment in the United States. As Butler eloquently argues, when we end mass incarceration and excessive police power, everyone wins.

Professor Paul Butler was recently featured at the Chicago Lit Festival. In discussion with Professor Geoffrey R. Stone of the University of Chicago, Paul discussed how putting too many people in prison increases crime, why it's bad for the police to rely too much on snitches, why decriminalizing drugs would make us safer, and his controversial proposal on how ordinary citizens can make a difference when they have jury duty.

Chicago Lit Fest with Professor Geoffrey StoneDuration: 50 minutes

To see more, check out some of Professor Butler's recent appearances, and, to stay updated on his recent articles and events, follow Professor Butler on Facebook.