Istvan Fazekas

Incarcerated Istvan Fazekas

"Incarcerated" is based on a true story, and not unlike a memoir it gives a first-hand account of a three-year imprisonment of an innocent man.

Steven the book's main character describes his trials and tribulations in vivid details from the first day of his incarceration to the day of his release. Telling it in a third person but in a narrative fashion he paints an overarching expose of the American 'Justice Industry' especially of the workings of the courts, lawyers, county jails, state and federal prisons.

Inexperienced with the law and lawyers, coupled with his belief in the mantra of "innocent until proven guilty" Steven lost his job, his pension, his house, his reputation and ultimately his freedom as well.

Steven's prison experience is an eye-opener not only for himself but for the reader as well. In the three years Steven endured foreign prisons, an extradition process and all the terrible conditions a county jail, a federal and state prison could offer. Other than suffering from cold, hunger, sleep-deprivation, mental abuse and physical hardship of various forms Steven also encountered inmates in all shapes, sizes and character. The reader may conclude that amongst all of the adverse conditions the worst are undoubtedly the inmates, they are the ones who actually make prison life harder. Inmates' behaviors - at least to a certain extent - mirror society that by and large created them. Greed, fights, betrayals, connivance all exist on the outside - in prison they are magnified since inmates live in close confinements practically on top of each other.

Steven's journey from freedom to a Hungarian prison, county jail, federal and state prison provides the reader with an insight that sometimes is humorous but more often very ugly and downright terrifying.