Some form of imprisonment is a fact of life and a punishment that society will need to use.

This punishment must be used sparingly and appropriately-a prison sentence needs to be planned and delivered with agreed aims and objectives, targets and goals and with a series of privileges earned en route.

The prisoner needs to recover self respect, this is an opportunity to acquire basic skills like literacy and skills in the factory or office with the chance to do real and paid work in prison. The prisoner can save for his release, continue to support his family and contribute to the costs of the prison.

The health of the prisoner is key, and the idea of self care and recovery from drug and alcohol abuse is possible with proper records linking up with care before prison and afterwards.

The prison needs to be much more open to society,many more staff should be non-prison e.g. the medical service and nursing service should be part of the outside service to the whole and wider community.Teachers, probation officers, social workers should be constantly working across the prison/community interface. Prison warders should spend some time working regularly in the wider community. There is evidence that more women working in prison makes an important difference to the ethos of care.