Abstract

Many people believe that when you go to prison, prison staff will keep you safe and that if others prisoners have power, they'll use it against you. It turns out that neither assumption is true. In many prisons, staff have little control over how safe and orderly a prison feels. Prisoners are often in charge. When they are, they often do a good job of governing life behind bars. This book looks at the hidden and informal world of life in prison to reveal why prisoners play such a major role in the everyday life of prisoners, and why they often do a good job at it.