The text emphasizes recent empirical research and the impact of contemporary sociopolitical issues on corrections. The brutal punitive methods of the ancient world and the Middle Ages were followed by a more humane approach influenced by prison reformers in 17th century England. The wide variety of punishment methods in colonial America gradually coalesced into the modern American corrections system. Particular points of discussion are regional variations, services to women and minorities, alternatives to imprisonment, and, most important, the competing philosophies that have shaped corrections: retribution, restitution, maintaining social solidarity, general and special deterrence, treatment, incapacitation, and the justice model. The text examines the realities of prison life, such as rape, homosexuality, and prison subcultures. Corrections officers' roles, inmate-staff relations, administrative and management issues, and innovations in inmate programs are discussed. Problems created by external forces can occur as a result of court mandates, changes in correctional standards and accreditation, and changes in policy and legislation. The administration of jails, probation programs, and community-based programs is also considered. The text closes with a comparison of corrections in several countries, a discussion of radical critiques of corrections, and a look at the future of corrections. Chapter references, tables, and indexes are included, as is a list of corrections periodicals.