First published in 1965, the original blurb reads: “At the present time more and more public interest centres on crime, prison and prisoners, and the prison population in this country now exceeds 24, 000. The average cost of keeping a prisoner for one year is over £500 and on the financial side alone it is essential that something is done to reduce crime, and particularly, in Mrs Bishop’s opinion, to reduce the number of men and women reconvicted and sent back to prison. Every year a large number of prisoners are released into society, and undoubtably the biggest problem facing them is their rehabilitation. Some responsibility for after-care rests inevitably on members of the public who, by their attitude to discharged prisoners and their willingness to accept back to society those who have offended against the laws of the country, can influence the attitude of the ex-criminal towards a new way of life. In order to help, it is necessary to understand something of the problems and difficulties a prisoner has to face when he is released, and it is with this need in view that this book has been written.
For nineteen years Mrs Bishop, as a magistrate, has been sentencing those who come into the Courts and seeing their records of previous convictions. She has also pioneered an unusual club, restricted to ex-prisoners, which has given her a unique opportunity to study at first hand the problems and difficulties facing a man or woman fresh from prison. The book is full of examples taken from actual experience which gives it unusual human interest. Several probation officers, prison governors and ex-prisoners themselves have read and passed the script as authentic in its facts and true in its implications.” Still a topic of concern today this can be read in its historical context.
This book is a re-issue originally published in 1965. The language used and views portrayed are a reflection of its era and no offence is meant by the Publishers to any reader by this re-publication.