ABSTRACT
The prison organisation rests on the bed of the society in which it is placed, but it is also clear that prisons are not constructed according to the con temporary images of that society's views of crime, criminals and what should be done about both. Like other social institutions such as the military, education and religious practice, prison institutions are constructed in accord ance with current needs, knowledge and technology. Yet, interwoven within these are core values that remain fundamentally static. In everyday experi ence, the manifestations of popular institutions are often referred to as great traditions, wonderful ceremonies, and remarkable architectural elements. We speak warmly of how these features make us feel secure, give us a sense of pride or connect us with a higher power. When we talk of prisons, however, there is an absence of such positive reflections of core values. Common topics of conversation, even among penal professionals, do not centre on the beautiful gothic architecture of the 'big house', revel in the descriptions of the punishments that have been meted out within the walls of these institutions, or promote the merits of ample prisoner suffering. This is likely because punishment is not a savory topic; yet if we examine prisons,
we find remarkable historical consistency in the incorporation of punishment and isolation as core values of the prison as an institution, despite the ebb and flow of public sentiment regarding what should be done with the criminal offender.1
