Results indicate that gender and age have significant impacts on prisoners’ perceptions of race relations in prisons in England and Wales. Overall, female prisoners and older prisoners were more likely to have positive perceptions of the quality of race relations than male and younger prisoners. Ethnic minorities were more likely to rate the quality of race relations in prisons as low compared to their White counterparts. The perceived quality of race relations was significantly related to prisoners’ perceptions of their general treatment in prisons, mainly regarding issues of respect, humanity, fairness, safety, and relationships with staff. Upon examination, neither the ethnic composition of prisons nor their ratios of White and ethnic minority staff had a significant impact on prisoners’ perceptions of race relations. The findings suggest that perceptions of the legitimacy of penal practices in England and Wales differ by ethnic and age groups and, as such, distributive practices may be more effective in reducing discrimination than practices aimed at modifying attitudes and general treatment. Participants were 4,860 prisoners in 49 institutions in England and Wales who completed a questionnaire measuring aspects of prisoner treatment, experiences, and culture in relation to staff-prisoner relationships, respect, humanity, trust, fairness, order, safety, personal development, family contact, and well-being. Statistical data were calculated using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Future research should utilize naturalistic research methods to explore the day-to-day relations between those who live and work in prisons in England and Wales. Footnotes, tables, references