The United States and Torture: Interrogation, Incarceration, and Abuse

The United States and Torture opens with a compelling preface by Sister Dianna Ortiz, who describes the unimaginable treatment she endured in Guatemala in 1987 at the hands of the Guatemalan government working with the United States. A psychologist, a historian, a political scientist, a philosopher, a sociologist, two journalists, and eight lawyers then offer one of the most comprehensive examinations of torture to date, beginning with the CIA during the Cold War era and ending with today's debate over accountability for torture. Ultimately, this gripping, interdisciplinary work details the complicity of the United States government in the torture and cruel treatment of prisoners both at home and abroad and discusses what can be done to hold those who set the torture policy accountable. Marjorie Cohn is a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild.