Prisons and Prison Systems: A Global Encyclopedia

The world prison population grows annually as the countries of the world lock up more of their citizens. It is suggested that the way a society treats its prisoners can tell us much about its culture. If the prison system is punitive, then that society may be tired of high crime rates, or it can convey whether or not the country respects human rights. Is the prison population made up of a disproportionate number of that country's ethnic minorities? How is the prison population fed, housed and clothed in comparison with the rest of the population? In Prisons and Prison...