From a fast-paced, middle-class lifestyle to a lifeless cell in San Quentin, Infectious Injustice is an honest story about a man whose sins finally catch up to him. Except, that isn’t even close to the whole story. Without much memory of the precipitating events, an arrogant, angry, and drunk Justin Cook wakes up in a holding cell. What began as a typical evening of alcohol-lubricated stress management degenerates into confusion, money-grubbing, corruption, manipulation, and an interminable stint behind bars, first in county jail and then in the infamous San Quentin State Prison. What follows is a daily, and even hourly at times, accounting of Cook’s experiences, where every moment takes the shape of dehumanizing, soul-sucking inertia, and the only relief comes when you dream. The intense sadness, fear, desperation, and hopelessness, are all set to a carefully chosen playlist that covers a wide spectrum, ranging from Eminem to Brett Dennen.
Infectious Injustice is an erratic, intense, and wild ride, subjecting audiences to the sticky tendrils of claustrophobia experienced during nearly two years in custody. The author encapsulates how it feels to lose yourself a little each day within the grasp of an institution that is undeniably broken. As if life in prison isn’t punishment enough, Cook is subject to abuse, prejudices, brutality, and the unmitigated spread of COVID in a facility ill-equipped and unwilling to deal with any of these challenges. Death and despair dominate in this bone-chilling account that reads like a dystopian novel. But there are unexpected spots of lightness and hope. A mouse named Mr. Jenkins, a gifted honey bun, a rare moment of connection. As a man who has been chewed up and spit out, yet remains standing, the author’s evolution demonstrates how anger and pain can result in unexpected strength and eyes that see the world in a different spectrum of color.
Society hates a bully. We try to protect our children from bullies. The government even has a website dedicated to stopping bullies. Yet Justin Cook passionately illuminates a dark truth: the criminal justice system might just be the biggest bully of them all. The author paints a picture of ineptitude and outright abuse that leads audiences to recoil in horror as the outside world shifts but the repercussions ricochet off prison walls like bullets. However, numerous errors in grammar and syntax throughout the narrative make it challenging for readers to fully immerse themselves in the dramatic account, diminishing the power of this vital message. Promising nothing but the truth, Justin Cook is unabashed and blunt as he shares his rabble-rousing and eye-opening journey.
