ABSTRACT
This study investigates three cases in two prison services to determine under which conditions crises lead to reform. The prison services to be investigated are the Dutch Prison Service and the Prison Service of England and Wales. In the Netherlands, one institutional crisis will be studied. In 1992-1993, escapes and cell shortages resulted in an institutional crisis. Two institutional crises in the British Prison Service will be investigated. The first one is the occurrence of riots in 1990, most notably the one at Strangeways Prison. The second case revolves around the institutional crisis caused by the escapes from Whitemoor and Parkhurst Prisons in 1994-1995.
