Pain and Retribution: A Short History of British Prisons, 1066 to the Present

Description

Pain and Retribution charts the rise and rise of a form of punishment that takes place behind the walls of the institution we have come to call 'prison'. It is the first single volume history of British prisons, charting their history from the time of the Norman Conquest to the present day. Written by a former prison governor who is now one of the country's leading criminologists, the book offers unrivalled insight into the prison system in England, Scotland and Wales.

David Wilson is one of the UK's leading and most controversial criminologists. He is Director of the Center for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University, UK, and Vice Chair of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Vice President of New Bridge and Chair of the Friends of Grendon. He has presented documentaries on the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and is the author of best-selling A History of British Serial Killing (2010).

"Criminologist and prison reformer Wilson has written a fascinating, multisided view of prisons as they have developed over the centuries, including the Tower of London, Newgate, and Millbank and their successors. . . . Wilson's treatment is a broad one, and he uses writings of officials, prisoners, and guards, and even describes the effects of reality TV shows on public awareness. It is not a happy story, but Wilson sees hope in a serious commitment to rehabilitation as evidenced by the successful 'drug courts' he visited in Brooklyn. An interesting book that will have broad appeal." -- "Choice"