We have all seen the many television dramas and movies about criminals and prisons, but the real world of incarcerations remains hidden from most peoples experience. This book explores the realities of overcrowding, disease, violence, and abuse in prison institutions. It considers multiple perspectives from social scientists, victims, and prison workers to the prisoners themselves. This look behind the bars of North Americas incarceration facilities is often disturbing, but the issues are well-documented and thought provoking.