Images of Incarceration: Representations of Prison in Film and Television Drama

by David Wilson

Images of Incarceration focuses on fictional portrayals of prison and prisoners to demonstrate how they are depicted in the cinema and on TV, featuring films such as The Shawshank Redemption, The Birdman of Alcatraz, Scum, McVicar, Brubaker, Cool Hand Luke, Made in Britain and Greenfingers as well as TV dramas like Porridge, Bad Girls, Buried and Oz. The book is part of the Prison Film Project sponsored by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation under its Rethinking Crime and Punishment initiative. It compares fictional representations with 'actual existing reality' to provide insights into how screen images affect understanding of complex social and penal 'Is prison really as represented on screen, harsher, softer or different?'; 'Do viewers separate fact from fiction?'; and 'What might films tell us about the experiences of prisoners and whether prison reduces crime and protects victims?' As authors David Wilson and Sean O'Sullivan explain, prison may be violent and de-humanising but it makes for gripping drama and human interest. Most people know little about what really happens inside prison, so that as prison numbers in the UK and USA escalate as never before, the 'prison film' and 'TV prison drama' can have a significant influence on popular culture and attitudes towards penal reform. Informative, educational and illuminating, Images of Incarceration will be of value to anyone interested in the effect of screen representations on the democratic process, and in particular to people concerned with criminal justice, penal affairs, penal reform, sociology and the media. Reviews 'Fascinating for anyone who has even a passing interest in penal matters or film': Howard Journal of Criminal Justice Author David Wilson is professor of criminology at the Centre for Criminal Justice Policy and Research at the University of Central England in Birmingham. A former prison governor, he is editor of the Howard Journal and a well-known author, broadcaster and presenter for TV and radio, including for the BBC, C4 and Sky Television. He has written three other books for Waterside The Longest The Strange Story of Alex Alexandrowicz (with the latter), Prison(er) Stories of Change and Transformation (with Ann Reuss) (2000), and Serial Hunting Britons and Their Victims 1960-2006 (2007).

194 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

David Wilson is Professor of Criminology and founding Director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University – one of the university’s “research centres of excellence”. He is the co-Editor of the prestigious Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, which is produced five times per year. Prior to taking up his academic appointment in September 1997, David was Senior Policy Advisor to the Prison Reform Trust, and between October 1983-April 1997 he worked as a Prison Governor.

David completed his PhD at Selwyn College Cambridge in 1983, and immediately joined HM Prison Service as Assistant Governor at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. He worked as a Prison Governor at a variety of establishments, including HMYOIs Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood – where at the age of 29 he was the youngest governing Governor in the country – and at HMPs Grendon and Woodhill. At HMP Grendon he ran the sex offender treatment programme, and at HMP Woodhill he designed and managed the two specialist units for the 12 most disruptive prisoners in the penal system. This experience brought him into contact with some of the most notorious criminals in the country.
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David has advised on live police investigations related to a linked series of murders and has provided training to new Senior Investigating Officers who will take charge of murder inquiries.

His current research interests range from the phenomenon of British serial murder, family annihilation, hitmen and lethal violence within organised crime, to all aspects of prison history and penal reform.

His first work of fiction is The Rules of Restraint.

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I mainly got this for one chapter discussing my favourite show (which happens to be a prison show), this book covers a topic I'm interested in, though I'm not sure... how or when that happened.

So, I did enjoy the whole book, but yes for me it was mostly about the aforementioned chapter: "Origins and Intentions: In Praise of Bad Girls". I didn't know beforehand that's what the chapter was called, and I was extremely pleased to see that. I was kind of fascinated to read the thoughts of two (presumably) straight men who don't have the same emotional attachment to Bad Girls that I do. I didn't agree with some conclusions they arrived at in the "Personal Relations and Sexuality" section, but I guess that's not too surprising. (I sound calm, but actually was driven to write a rage reply after re-reading it. Heh.)

But overall, they raised some interesting points and it ended on this positive conclusion: "But, on the basis of the evidence reviewed here, to call Bad Girls 'the best prison drama ever' is probably to understate its achievements." Hell yeah! Like I know the show didn't have as much to compete with when this book was written, and also the quote is only in reference to its first three series (which is fair enough), but still...! I live for this kind of validation of the things I love.

On a side note, I was surprised Within These Walls wasn't mentioned at all. I was expecting it would be, at least in passing. Huh.