THE POWER TO SILENCE. A History of Punishment in Britain

Hardcover. The history of the penal system in Britain, however brutal and horrifying in many of its aspects, forms an integral part of the nation's social hisory. In this book, the author traces the origin and development of the various methods by which criminals were punished in the past, using frequent quotations from the descriptions of eye-witnesses and from contemporary reports, and he explains how the present penal system gradually came into being. An important section of the book is concerned with the belated awakening of public conscience with regard to the treatment of prisoners, especially juveniles, which took place during the 19th century, and with the influnce of the great penal reformers which culminated in the organistion of the Probation and the Prison After-Care Services. With Conclusion, Bibliog. and Index. 226pp. 8vo. Lightly browned pp. Vg+ in sunned and sl. creased dw. From the library of crime historian, Jonathan Goodman, with his embossed stamp to fep.