This chapter begins with an historical overview of punishment and corrections. There is a look at the punishment from antiquity to punishment in the New World, and the various movements and models, including the Prisoners’ Rights Movement. This overview is followed by an examination of contemporary issues in corrections, such as size and cost of the correctional enterprise, overcrowding, programs or the lack thereof, medical problems, special populations, such as women and the elderly, and privatization. The chapter concludes with a discussion of community alternatives to incarceration.
