Incarcerated

This is A wing at Shrewsbury Prison.

The prison was closed as a prison in 2013 and is now a “dark” tourism attraction. Previous inmates included serial killers, great train robbers and Ricky Tomlinson (of the Royale Family fame).

Executions were carried out in the prison (although not for over 60 years now), and the execution chamber and cell form part of the visit.

It was interesting to experience. It brought home the sheer brutality of the regime for all involved. I’m not sure what the answer is but rehabilitation formed no real part of the prison’s function. The research evidence on reoffending rates shows that imprisonment has little deterrent effect either. Keeping society safe is important but this sort of facility doesn’t do that in a very efficient or cost effective way.