Throughout most of human history, our ancestors have done rather poorly when dealing with acts of violence. To cite but one of many shocking examples, let us perhaps recall a case from 1801, of an English boy aged only 13, who was executed by hanging on the gallows at Tyburn. What was his crime? It seems that he had been condemned to die for having stolen a spoon (Westwick, 1940).

Prisons are not ideal environments in which to practice psychotherapy, but they are places in which it is urgently needed. Unfortunately, too many people do not understand either the needor what therapy can offerand ignorance is a powerful enemy of practice. The Prison Service has the difficult task of attempting to ensure that all needs can be catered for. Its most intractable problem is with those at the extreme end of the difficult, dangerous and disruptive spectrum, whose treatment cannot solely be a matter of control. These are the prisoners whose treatment and needs are described in this book.Psychotherapy should not be seen as antithetical to the ethos of a prison it is important that prison staff understand therapists, and vice versa. The value of Life Within Hidden Worlds is that it helps to fill the gap by explaining, simply yet graphically, the challenges that face therapists.Sir David Ramsbotham, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, from his Foreword.