Criminal Law

Behind the Walls offers an unprecedented look at life in contemporary prisons. Inmates and staff describe their transition to prison life and corrections work, and they explain how they frame or understand their roles and how they relate to others. They provide commentaries on key developments and problems, including the experiences of female correctional officers in male prisons, boundary violations by correctional officers, the introduction of behavioural programs, and the rise of prison gangs. Weinrath's balanced assessment reveals that although prisons have seen improvements, they continue to be plagued by problems that prevent inmates from forging positive relationships among themselves and with correctional officers.

This book provides an introductory overview to the three key streams of corrections: institutional, community corrections, and community justice (the latter encompasses alternatives such as Drug Treatment Courts, Mental Health Courts, Restorative Justice, etc., while community corrections refers to probation and group homes).

Disruptive Prisoners reconstitutes the history of Canada’s federal prison system in the mid-twentieth century through a process of collective biography – one involving prisoners, administrators, prison reformers, and politicians. This social history relies on extensive archival research and access to government documents, but more importantly, uses the penal press materials created by prisoners themselves and an interview with one of the founding penal press editors to provide a unique and unprecedented analysis.

Using extensive interviews and previously unexplored archival material, Hayman examines the work of the Task Force on Federally Sentenced Women and assesses the opening of the first three prisons. She questions the notion that prisons can simultaneously "heal" and punish, suggesting that the power of "the prison" inevitably triumphs over the good intentions of reformers.

Building on an original study with almost two hundred older incarcerated individuals, this book explores systemic problems that infiltrate the body of the Canadian federal correctional system and other institutions that engage with prisoners.