Outspoken, no-nonsense and eminently fascinating, Joseph M. Arpaio has captured the public's imagination from his first day as sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, in 1992. He has become an icon, not only in his own state, but all over the world. For almost 15 years, he has maintained an unprecedented 80 per cent approval rating. Famous for his 'get smart and get tough' approach to jails, Arpaio conceived The Tent City Jail where he houses his inmates in surplus army tents left over from the Korean War. Known as the 'Alcatraz of Arizona,' the jail features chain gangs, discipline, and a complete absence of luxuries of any kind. By eliminating all comforts for his inmates, he has managed to shave $500,000 annually from the cost of keeping prisoners.To his ardent followers, he is a hero, for both his toughness on crime and his humane touch. While his opponents decry him for his iron-fisted approach, especially regarding prisoners, no one can deny that Sheriff Joe is one of the country's most respected and innovative elected officials. "Joe's Law" is an uncensored account of the man himself.
With candor and insight, he reveals his views not only on criminal justice, but on some of the most seminal issues that affect our country today. As the first law enforcement official in the country to place arrested illegal immigrants in jail pending trial, Arpaio tackles the issue of illegal immigration head on, which he argues, affects every other aspect of law enforcement as well as broader problems, from health care to education and taxes.Despite his tough-as-nails reputation, Arpaio offers innovative and fair ways to solve crime and save taxpayer's money in his own state and shows how they can be applied to solve our own nation's problems. Compelling and courageous, this is an unflinching look at some of America's most pressing social problems, and one man's revolutionary vision for eliminating them.