This is the most comprehensive & ambitious book on prisons to have been published a key text for anybody studying the subject & an essential work of reference for practitioners working in prisons & other parts of the criminal justice system. It is especially timely in view of the many changes & debates about the role of prisons & their future organisation & management as part of the National Offender Management Service A key aim of the book is to explore a wide range of historical & contemporary issues relating to prisons imprisonment & prison management & to chart likely future trends. Chapters in the book are written by leading scholars in the field & reflect the range & depth of prison research & scholarship. Like the Handbook of Policing & Handbook of Crime Prevention & Community Safety" the " Handbook on Prisons" will be the essential book on the subject."