Prisons and Imprisonment: An Introduction

321 Pages·2023·4.202 MB·English

by  Cormac Behan, Abigail Stark

An Introduction
CORMAC BEHAN & ABIGAIL STARK
Prisons and Imprisonment
Cormac Behan · Abigail Stark
Prisons and Imprisonment
An Introduction
Cormac Behan Abigail Stark
School of Social Sciences, Law, and School of Justice
Education University of Central Lancashire
Technological University Dublin Preston, UK
Dublin, Ireland
ISBN 978-3-031-09300-5 ISBN 978-3-031-09301-2 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09301-2
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Contents
1 Introduction ............................................... 1
1.1 Introduction ........................................... 1
1.2 Why Prisons and Imprisonment? ........................... 2
1.3 Outline of the Book ..................................... 3
1.4 Using Prisons and Imprisonment ........................... 5
1.5 A Note on Language .................................... 6
1.6 Geographic Scope ...................................... 7
1.7 Prisons, Imprisonment and Society ......................... 8
References/Further Reading ................................... 9
Part I Punishment and Prison
2 The Prison Emerges ........................................ 13
2.1 Introduction ........................................... 13
2.2 Punishment Before the Prison ............................. 14
2.3 The Search for the ‘Model’ Prison Begins .................... 17
2.4 From Imprisonment to Confinement ........................ 25
2.5 Conclusion ............................................ 26
References/Further Reading ................................... 28
3 Justifying Imprisonment as Punishment ....................... 31
3.1 Introduction ........................................... 31
3.2 Justifying Punishment ................................... 32
3.3 Retributivism .......................................... 32
3.4 Consequentialism ....................................... 34
3.5 Conclusion ............................................ 46
References/Further Reading ................................... 47
v
vi Contents
4 Who Is Punished? .......................................... 51
4.1 Introduction ........................................... 51
4.2 A Place for the Most Dangerous and Violent Law-Breakers? ..... 52
4.3 The Unequal Distribution of Punishment and Imprisonment ..... 54
4.4 The Ripple Effects—Further Marginalising the Marginalised? .... 63
4.5 Conclusion ............................................ 67
References/Further Reading ................................... 68
Part II Understanding the Experiences of the Prison
5 Life, Culture and Adaptation in Prison ........................ 75
5.1 Introduction ........................................... 75
5.2 Power, Relationships and Culture .......................... 76
5.3 The Origins of Prison Culture—Deprivation vs. Importation ..... 78
5.4 A Universal Culture for a Single Prison Community? ........... 88
5.5 Conclusion ............................................ 89
References/Further Reading ................................... 90
6 The Gendered Nature of Imprisonment ........................ 93
6.1 Introduction ........................................... 93
6.2 Gender, Punishment and Confinement of Women .............. 94
6.3 Imprisonment of Women in a Global Context ................. 95
6.4 Who Are the Women Being Imprisoned? ..................... 96
6.5 Women’s Experience of Imprisonment ...................... 97
6.6 Masculinity and Imprisonment ............................ 104
6.7 The Imprisonment of Transgender People .................... 106
6.8 Conclusion ............................................ 108
References/Further Reading ................................... 109
7 Prisoners and Protest ....................................... 115
7.1 Introduction ........................................... 115
7.2 Structure, Agency and Resistance .......................... 116
7.3 Uprisings, Strikes and Disturbances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
7.4 Prisoners’ Rights Movements .............................. 124
7.5 Resistance: Outside and Inside ............................. 126
7.6 Conclusion ............................................ 130
References/Further Reading ................................... 130
8 Prison in Popular Culture ................................... 135
8.1 Introduction ........................................... 135
8.2 Prisons and News Media ................................. 136
8.3 Prison Films and TV Drama ............................... 139
Contents vii
8.4 Documentaries as a Window into Life Inside? ................. 148
8.5 Conclusion ............................................ 150
References/Further Reading ................................... 151
Part III The Penal Framework
9 Prisoners’ Rights ........................................... 157
9.1 Introduction ........................................... 157
9.2 Punishment and Civil Death ............................... 158
9.3 Human Rights and Imprisonment .......................... 159
9.4 Prison Rules and Prisoners’ Rights ......................... 161
9.5 ‘Rights on the Books’ and ‘Rights in Action’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
9.6 Prisoners and Civil Rights ................................ 169
9.7 Conclusion ............................................ 172
References/Further Reading ................................... 173
10 Governing Prisons .......................................... 177
10.1 Introduction ........................................... 177
10.2 Prisons and Social Order ................................. 178
10.3 Prison Rules and Daily Life ............................... 180
10.4 Regime and Routine ..................................... 183
10.5 Oversight, Monitoring and Legitimacy ...................... 185
10.6 Self-Governance and Social Order .......................... 188
10.7 Conclusion ............................................ 191
References/Further Reading ................................... 192
11 Working in Prison .......................................... 195
11.1 Introduction ........................................... 195
11.2 The Demographics of Prison Staff .......................... 196
11.3 The Role(s) of a Prison Officer ............................ 197
11.4 Staff-Prisoner Relationships and Prison Work ................. 198
11.5 The Working Conditions and Challenges of Prison Work ........ 203
11.6 Prison Officer Culture ................................... 206
11.7 Conclusion ............................................ 207
References/Further Reading ................................... 209
12 The Architecture of Incarceration ............................. 213
12.1 Introduction ........................................... 213
12.2 Symbolism and Structure ................................. 214
12.3 International Standards ................................... 216
12.4 Place and Space ........................................ 219
12.5 Improving the Penal Environment .......................... 221
viii Contents
12.6 New Prisons—Old Philosophies? .......................... 223
12.7 Conclusion ............................................ 226
References/Further Reading ................................... 228
Part IV Politics and Penality
13 Comparative Penology ...................................... 233
13.1 Introduction ........................................... 233
13.2 Imprisonment Worldwide ................................. 234
13.3 Assessing Punitiveness ................................... 237
13.4 Comparing Penal Systems ................................ 240
13.5 Conclusion ............................................ 250
References/Further Reading ................................... 252
14 The Future of the Prison .................................... 257
14.1 Introduction ........................................... 257
14.2 The Possibility of a Better Prison: Arguments for Reform ....... 258
14.3 The Limitations of Reform and the Case for Prison Abolition .... 262
14.4 A World Without Prisons? The Barriers to Abolition ........... 266
14.5 Alternatives to Prisons and Imprisonment .................... 270
14.6 Reflecting on Your Reading so Far: Where Next for Prisons
and Imprisonment? ...................................... 273
References/Further Reading ................................... 275
Part V Researching Prisons and Imprisonment
15 Prison Research: Methods, Approaches and Sources ............. 281
15.1 Introduction ........................................... 281
15.2 Prisoners on Imprisonment ............................... 282
15.3 Telling Their Own Story ................................. 283
15.4 The Prison Researcher ................................... 286
15.5 Evaluating Sources ...................................... 288
15.6 Conclusion ............................................ 295
Appendix 1: Prisoner Autobiographies ........................... 296
Appendix 2: Online Resources for Researching Prisons
and Imprisonment ........................................... 297
References/Further Reading ................................... 303
Glossary ..................................................... 305
Index ........................................................ 309
Abbreviations
ACA American Correctional Association
ACLU American Civil Liberties Union
BAME Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
BPP Black Panther Party
CPT European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment
CR Critical Resistance
CSC Close Supervision Centre
ECHR European Convention on Human Rights
ECtHR European Court of Human Rights
EPR European Prison Rules
FNP Foreign National Prisoner
GRC Gender Recognition Certificate
HMICFRS His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue
Services
HMIP His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons
HMP His Majesty’s Prison
HMPPS His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service
HMPS His Majesty’s Prison Service
HMYOI His Majesty’s Young Offender Institution
ICPR Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
IEP Incentives and Earned Privileges
IMB Independent Monitoring Board
IPP Imprisonment for Public Protection
IRA Irish Republican Army
ix
x Abbreviations
IWOC Incarcerated Workers’ Organising Committee
IWW Industrial Workers of the World
JLS Jailhouse Lawyers Speak
KPI Key Performance Indicator
LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
LWOP Life Without Parole
MOJ Ministry of Justice
NPA National Prison Association
NPM National Preventative Mechanism
OPCAT United Nations Optional Protocol on the Convention Against
Torture
POA Prison Officers Association
P-NOMIS Prison National Offender Management Information System
PPO Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
PRI Penal Reform International
PROP Union for the Preservation of the Rights of Prisoners
PRT Prison Reform Trust
PSI Prison Service Instruction
PSO Prison Service Order
ROTL Release on Temporary Licence
SDG Sustainable Development Goal
TC Therapeutic Community
UN United Nations
UNDHR Universal Declaration on Human Rights
UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services
UNSMR United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners
VPU Vulnerable Prisoner Unit
WHO World Health Organization
WSPU Women’s Social and Political Union