The English Prison Officer Since 1850

A Study in Conflict

J. E. Thomas

$147

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Routledge
15 July 2025

Social issues & processes; Sociology; Penology & punishment; Rehabilitation of offenders

Series: Routledge Library Editions: Social Administration & Social Policy

When this book was originally published in 1972 very little had been written about prison staff. The author acknowledges that interest should of course be concentrated on the prisoner community but maintains that the prison staff must also be examined if prisons are to be fully understood. This book demonstrates that the central figure in any prison system is the basic grade uniformed officer and that the collective views of officers have a direct and supreme impact on the working of the system. The book discusses the role of the prison officer in the English prison system, a highly centralized organization which has been in operation for over 150 years. The definition of new organizational tasks during this time brought problems of adjustment for staff which were never properly examined or understood, and which led to major crises. This examination of the English prison service is relevant to prison systems in all advanced societies and raises many controversial issues of importance to policymakers in prison services.

By: J. E. Thomas
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
Weight: 470g
ISBN: 9781041074816
ISBN 10: 1041074816
Series: Routledge Library Editions: Social Administration & Social Policy
Pages: 262
Publication Date: 15 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

1.The Organisation and the Task 2. The Background to the Centralisation of the Prison System 3. Building The Prison Service 4. 1850–80: The Early Years 5. 1880–91: Two Major Inquiries 6. 1892–5: The Gladstone Committee 1895–1921: A Change of Direction 8. 1922–45: The Paterson Initiative 9. 1945–68: The Crisis Erupts 10. Postscript.

J. E. Thomas was Assistant Governor in the English Prison Service for seven years, and tutor at the Prison Service Staff College.

Reviews for The English Prison Officer Since 1850: A Study in Conflict

Original Review of The English Prison Officer Since 1850: ‘The first major study of what is a fascinating subject.’ Duncan Fairn, The British Journal of Criminology, Vol 13, No. 1 (1973).