Most prisoners in the UK are required to work. Yet prison work is a relatively neglected subject in the existing literature on imprisonment and few studies have focused on the nature of prison work, prisoners' experience of it, and the extent to which it meets the need of rehabilitating prisoners. sheds new light on this crucial area in the work of prisons and examines: *the nature of training received by prisoners *the actual work they undertake *how this relates to the world or work outside *the role it plays in helping to secure employment on release. Frances Simon employs a balance of qualitative and quantitative data, including first hand accounts from UK prisons, gathered during field research. Her book will be essential reading for all those studying criminology and prison studies and all professionals working with prisoners, including probation officers and social workers.