
Pulitzer Prize-winner Tony Messenger exposes America's modern debtors' prisons, where minor offenses trap the poor in cycles of debt and jail time. What's the cost of justice? Former Senator Claire McCaskill calls it "the most comprehensive look at poverty criminalization" driving bipartisan reform.
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Break down key ideas from Profit and Punishment into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Distill Profit and Punishment into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.

Experience Profit and Punishment through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Get the Profit and Punishment summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.
A woman steals an $8 tube of mascara while mourning her infant daughter's death. Her punishment? A year in jail and a $15,900 debt that will haunt her for years. This isn't Victorian England-it's modern America, where Brooke Bergen's story reveals a justice system that has quietly transformed into something our founders would barely recognize. Courts have become collection agencies, jails have become profit centers, and poverty has become a crime punishable by imprisonment. What's remarkable isn't just that this is happening-it's that it took a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation to make us notice. Across America, 34 million people live one traffic ticket away from financial ruin, trapped in a system that extracts $50 billion in fines and fees while pretending it's about public safety. The scales of justice don't balance anymore-they're tipped by the weight of your wallet.