Magistrate’s blog contrasts the views of an official of the Prison Officer’s Association with the views of an insider.

Of course, if you really want to know what life is like in prison, visit one. Most prisons have links to the community around them. Many faith groups are involved in prison visiting. Nottingham’s Prison does outreach work with young offenders in a bid to prevent them ending up incarcerated. And the National Association of Official Prison Visitors would be happy to hear from you if you would like to volunteer.