State controlled--though increasingly privately run--prisons are the organs of state power which are used to punish deviant members of society. Much is known about prisons, their administration, their effectiveness and their problems, and since the late 1980s prisons have become the focus of increased attention from researchers, policymakers and government. However, little attention has been given to comparing and contrasting prison systems in different countries. This collection brings together leading prison scholars from the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia to offer a broad view of recent developments in imprisonment theory and practice. The essays explore such issues as privately run prisons, human rights, Russian prisons after Perestroika, European prisons, women in prisons, and racial disproportion in U.S. prisons. This is a high-quality collection of up-to-date essays which will be required reading for anyone interested in prisons and the process of criminal justice.