If these walls could talk
It would penetrate you like a fork
It would block your emotions like a cork
It would grind you down like chalk
If these walls could speak
You would feel small like a mouse and squeak
It’s as sad as a rainy day is bleak
If these walls could feel
They know that the punishment is real
We want to understand what these prisons are like to live and work in, and how has this changed over time. We are examining the ways that these prison buildings carry traces of the past, while operating in the present day.
The project considers how and why these buildings have survived for so long, and asks how we will know when they have reached the end of their operational lives. We consider the significance of the Victorian prison in shaping public and professional ideas of what prison should be like. Crucially, this project explores the implications of the continued operation of Victorian-era prisons for the contemporary prison service, and aims to inform policy development.