ABSTRACT
AMONGST the most significant experiences that prisoners in Pentonville undergo is the deprivation of heterosexual relationships. To the vast majority of men this is a serious issue because, with the exception of a relatively small number of genuine inverts, and a slightly larger number of ageing social derelicts, almost all prisoners have enjoyed the company of women outside. From a mass of interview data it is clear, however, that the number of prisoners who have stable, mature sexual relationships outside prison is small, and the incidence of marital troubles is extremely high. 1 Many men cohabit with women who are single, or separated from their own husbands, and some live with women who, if not actually prostitutes, are on the fringe of prostitution. The immaturity which characterizes many prisoners is reflected in these unstable relationships.
