ABSTRACT
In 2000, I had the opportunity to visit two supermax prisons in the USA as part of a f l m crew making an hour-long documentary on life inside supermax prisons, for a reputable, middle-of-the-road US TV network. Although it was clear to me that conducting research in this context would have certain limitations, the opportunity to spend some time inside the most hidden parts of institutions that are closed not only to the outside world, but also to the prison society, was too important to be missed. So, obviously, I took it. In all, I spent an intensive week in each of the prisons, visiting housing units, control rooms and support facilities, and chatting to prison staff. I found great value in the ‘snapshots’ obtained that gave me a ‘feel’ for the place. I also found, contrary to my initial expectation, that prison staff were surprisingly willing to speak openly in front of a camera. Many of the comments cited throughout this book are testament to that.
