In the last decade, there have been great changes in the management of prisons, as well as a large increase in their population. One of the concerns which is now at the heart of the prison debate in England is the treatment of particular groups of prisoners. These include women, young people, those with mental illness and minority ethnic groups. In addition, the families of prisoners are another “vulnerable“ group of people.

This collection of essays was commissioned by the Board for Social Responsibility to help Christians think about the issue of vulnerability in the prison context. Each chapter is written by an expert in their field, and it concludes with two chapters on prison chaplaincy and the theology of vulnerability.