What Do We Know and What Should We Do About Abolishing Prisons?

<p>This book challenges the myths and misrepresentations that justify the existence of prisons. It traces the history and failure of prison reform over two centuries, addresses a number of key, contemporary issues and argues for the abolition of prisons.</p><p>It explores:</p><ul> <li>The problem with liberal reformism.</li> <li>The myths around crime, the prison population and prison regimes.</li> <li>People in prison and the harms they experience.</li> <li>The relationship between prisons, punishment and structural inequality.</li> <li>The case for abolishing prisons.</li></ul><p>Aimed at students, researchers, grassroots organisations, prisoners’ rights activists, policy makers and anyone interested in social justice, its conclusion is clear; there needs to be fundamental and meaningful change. Prisons, the criminal injustice system and structural inequalities need to be radically transformed and abolished if social justice is to be achieved.<br/><br/>Written by leading social scientists, the <strong>What Do We Know and What Should We Do About...? </strong>series offers concise, up-to-date overviews of issues often oversimplified, misrepresented or misunderstood and shows you how to enact change.<br/><br/><strong>"Short, sharp and compelling."</strong> - Alex Preston, The Observer<br/><br/><strong>"If you want to learn a lot about what matters most, in as short a time as possible, this is the series for you."- </strong>Danny Dorling, 1971 Professor of Geography, University of Oxford</p>