I earned a bachelor's degree in justice studies, so during that time period I heard quite a bit about Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his Tent City Jail in Maricopa County, Arizona. Nearly everyone has heard of this jail, known for dying the inmates' boxers pink to deter theft, as well as for the male AND female chain gangs (the female chain gang is reportedly the first of its kind worldwide). I was always intrigued by Tent City concept, so when I saw this book at the library I picked it up. Sheriff Joe, as he is known to many, has some conservative ideas regarding the issues of illegal immigration and drugs, which are featured in the majority of the book. I have a more liberal view, and I was afraid that because of this I wouldn't enjoy the book, but that's not entirely true. Even though I found quite a bit to disagree with Sheriff Joe about, I respect the fact that he is clear about doing his job and he is clear about his mission. He is definitely not a wishy-washy politician; in fact, he writes an entire chapter about politics.

In addition to reporting his experiences fighting drugs and illegal immigration, Sheriff Joe outlines some of the programs he features at the Tent City Jail, most of which do not receive as much media attention as do his more controversial initiatives. These programs are impressive, spanning from education to daily life skills to caring for shelter dogs. Sheriff Joe also reports on several cases that he has worked on over the years, giving a brief history of his career and how he ended up being one of the country's (and maybe world's) most well-known law enforcement agents. Even if you do not agree with Sheriff Joe's views, you will likely find something to respect or admire about the man.

The book is written in a common-sense, straightforward, casual tone, and it reads as though Sheriff Joe were actually talking to you. This is great when he presents his ideas, because it makes them understandable and accessible. However, the negative to this kind of writing means that portions of the book come off as ranting or unprofessional. Of course, this fits with Sheriff Joe's everyday, regular guy image, so it works, but it can be distracting. Overall, this book was a quick, informative read, and while I am not going to change my personal views any time soon, I came away from this knowing a bit more about the man behind the Tent City Jail.