Prisons and Imprisonment: An Introduction

by Cormac Behan, Abigail Stark

Overview

This textbook examines prisons and imprisonment. Historically, prisons and prisoners have been a source of interest to the general public. However, despite near universal acceptance of imprisonment as a feature of society, we know relatively little about the reality of prison life, or the effects it has on individuals and communities. Using academic scholarship, empirical research, government papers, policy reports, and accounts from lived experiences of the institution, this book analyses the complexities and contradictions of prison life, the place of the prison in twenty-first century society, and its prospects for the future. This book will introduce readers to key debates surrounding the use of imprisonment, and challenge readers to interrogate conventional perspectives on an institution that reflects the society in which it is situated.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031093012
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
Publication date:	01/01/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Cormac Behan is Lecturer in Criminology at the Technological University Dublin, Ireland. 

Abigail Stark is Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.   

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures.- List of Abbreviations.- Ch. 1: Introduction.- PART 1: PUNISHMENT AND PRISON.- Ch. 2: The Prison Emerges.- Ch. 3: Justifying Imprisonment as Punishment.- Ch. 4: Who is Punished?.- PART II: UNDERSTANDING THE EXPERIENCES OF THE PRISON.- Ch. 5: Life, Culture and Adaption in Prison.- Ch. 6: The Gendered Nature of Imprisonment.- Ch. 7: Prisoners and Protest.- Ch. 8: Prison in Popular Culture.- PART 111: THE PENAL FRAMEWORK.- Ch. 9: Prisoners' Rights.- Ch. 10: Governing Prisons.- Ch. 11: Working in Prison.- Ch. 12: The Architecture of Incarceration.- PART IV: POLITICS AND PENALITY.- Ch. 13: Comparative Penology.- Ch. 14: The Future of the Prison.- PART V: RESEARCHING PRISONS AND IMPRISONMENT.- Ch. 15: Researching Prisons and Imprisonment.- Glossary.- Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

In producing such a comprehensive book, Behan and Stark have done a great service to those who teach modules on prisons and imprisonment. They have bridged the gap between the numerous research monographs on imprisonment which are too narrowly focused for students new to the topic, and edited collections which often lack the required structure for an introductory text. For anyone looking for an accessible key text to support their module – this is it! Dr. Andrew Henley, Associate Professor of Criminology at University of Nottingham

This is a brilliantly written and accessible textbook that introduces an impressive range of classic and contemporary penal perspectives. Behan and Stark skilfully profile the influential work of both established penal scholars and exciting emerging scholars in the field. The authors' meticulous approach to charting who the people are that fill our prisons and the powerful structural forces that contribute to their penal pathways is highly valuable for the reform project. A vital resource, not just for students, but anybody else working in and around prisons and criminal justice. Dr David Maguire, Senior Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute of Education and Programme Director at the Prison Reform Trust