The prison population in the United Kingdom has almost quintupled since the pre-World War II period; the ratio of inmates to officers has been reduced from six to one to three to one. As a result of this growth, the organization has become more diverse, with staff specializing in specific areas of work. Because of the transient nature of appointments to the central bureaucracy, a regional layer was provided to keep practitioners and policymakers in closer contact. The employees' union has garnered wide support because of the feeling of bureaucracy, the role the courts have played in internal inmate disciplinary proceedings, ingrown prejudices about race and gender among the staff, and the individual officer's sense of loss of control. In response, the Prison Service has created a clearer Statement of Purpose, replaced its paramilitary promotion structure with a single-line structure, and established clear lines of accountability. A proposed training program for Service officers at all levels would explain and gain support for policy and long-term plans, gather ideas for future policy development, and provide exchanges between officers of the criminal justice system.