This volume is the result of the first systematic written and photographic survey of English prisons since the early 20th century. It traces the history of the purpose-built prison and its development over the past 200 years. Over 130 establishments that make up the current prison estate and over 100 former sites that have surviving buildings or extensive documentation have been investigated. Institutions ranging from medieval castles and military camps to country houses that have beent taken over and adapted for penal use are included. Some of the prisons are round or several-sided. The Prison Service granted the project team unprecedented access to all of its jails, allowing the compilation of over 5, 000 images and 250 research files. They were allowed to go anywhere, photograph (almost) anything, and speak with inmates. A selection of images from the archive illustrate this book. Includes a listing of prisons, references and select bibliography, notes and index. Fully illustrated in color, this book includes architectural plans (photographed) or drawings for many of the prisons. Black cloth cover and full-color jacket; the jacket has a minor wrinkle on the back lower corner at the spine (from the publisher) . ; 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall; ABE