Society uses various sanctions against those of its members who behave in opposition to the behavioural and cultural norms of that society-prison is one of them.

The Prisoner is deprived of liberty. The punishment conveys to the world, that this person has forfeited the right to be a full member of that society and that some form of separation and segregation is called for.

The Prison will be uncomfortable, the life of the prisoner possibly degrading and sometimes associated with brutal punishment, long periods of idleness and boredom or pointless, backbreaking and repetitive work-sometimes even torture.

Increasingly it is accepted that a person goes to prison as punishment and not for punishment; prison should be about reform and rehabilitation-paying one’s debt to society and re-emerging to become again part of that society.