Guide to Prisons and Penal Policy

<p>Understanding prisons and the policies surrounding them is of fundamental importance to students and practitioners of criminology and related fields. This concise and accessible guide offers a compendium of key information theories concepts research and policy presenting a rounded and critical overview of the prison system in England and Wales.</p><p> Covering the historical and contemporary context of prisons the text guides the reader through the work of prison officers a tour of international prisons and how prison life is experienced by different groups such as women.</p><p> Focusing on the experiences of stakeholder groups and the themes of power legitimacy and rehabilitation the book concludes with an overview of the future challenges for prisons.</p><p> Each chapter includes key learning features: </p><p> - end of chapter questions; </p><p> - definitions of key terms and concepts; </p><p> - examples and illustrative case studies; </p><p> - learning outcomes; </p><p> - summary boxes of major research studies and further reading.</p>