Prisons: the Politics of Reform

Prisons are constantly in the news. Perennial industrial disputes and prison disturbances have been a continuing embarrassment of governments which, since 1979, have given "law and order" a high priority. The author describes the conflicts that have wracked the prison system, explains the dilemmas which confront it and sets out the choices which any future administration must confront. He provides a comprehensive review of the subject for students and an overview of a public policy issue long likely to remain controversial.