Presented in an alphabetized dictionary format, the work contains a wide range of terms, covering 207 criminological definitions relevant to prisons and punishment. Terms range from those applicable internationally, such as bullying, drugs, privatization, and violence, to more specific definitions relevant to the United Kingdom, including Certified Normal Accommodation, National Offender Management Service, and Vulnerable Prisoners' Units. The book is an authoritative and reliable resource, as all definitions were written by various experts in the field, including prison employees, lawyers, and professors from such well known universities as Oxford, Cambridge, and Stanford. Geared towards readers with knowledge of the criminal justice system, each definition ranges from approximately one half to three pages in length and includes both a list of related entries and a reference box of key texts and sources relevant to the topic that is designed to assist in subject research and literature searches.