Since its first publication , 'The Felon' has become a classic of criminal sociology. Based on in-depth interviews and two years of participant observation, this book traces the career path of the felon - from early environment to crime to prison to parole - from the point of view of the offender. Engaging and readable, Irwins description of the life of felons, and his conclusions about the role of prisons in our society remain convincing and topical.