From Philanthropy to Collaborative research: 200 years of Prison Research in Manchester

Description

1. The carceral space

When thinking about the carceral space in Manchester people tend to think of HMP Manchester, formerly ‘Strangeways’, which dominates the city with its large 234 foot tower. 200 years ago this prison did not exist.  People on short sentences were housed in New Bailey Prison in Salford (from 1839) or in Manchester Borough Gaol (from 1849).  The decision to invest large sums of money in the mass reconstruction and alteration of prisons originated from the Salford Hundred magistrate, Thomas Butterworth Bayley (Hardman, 2007). To Bayley, prison reform was one pivotal example of how more privileged sectors of society could help the less fortunate.

Strangeways, which was originally named, Salford County Gaol, was built between 1864 and 1868. The prison would become ‘Strangeways’ in the 1880s and later be turner into Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Manchester in 1990.  Designed by Alfred Waterhouse, this was a radial prison holding 1000 people. It was an innovative design at the time and was based on Jeremy Bentham’s ideas of the panopticon to allow for easier surveillance and separation of inmates (Morris and Rothman, 1998). It was a mixed prison until 1963 but then became men only. One of the most interesting parts of the history of this prison is that it was built to be near the new gothic style Assize Courts (which would be bombed during Second World War). Sentenced prisoners could be taken to from the courts the the cell and  vice-versa via an underground tunnel.  These tunnels and the tower were part of a cutting-edge air-conditioning and heating system (The Prison, 2024). 

Despite the spatial and visual prominence of HMP Manchester - it stands at the heart of the city - little is known by the general public about what goes on inside. This blog will consider the growth of prison research and how we have found out about the conditions and lived experience of people in prison over the last 200 years. 

2. The emergence of prison research on Manchester prisons

Early prison research on the emerging Manchester prison system should be read alongside the broader exposure of the inequalities of the English social system (Engels,1845).  Manchester, as an industrial and growing city, was at the forefront of the broader social changes tied to the industrial turn and illustrated the nation-wide rise in crime rates (Hardman, 2007: 62).

In the late 18th century and early 19th century, prison researchers were less common compared to the broader group of reformers, social commentators, and philanthropists who engaged in prison issues (Cooper 1976; Morgan 1977). Much of what we know about prison conditions and the push for reform comes from these societal figures rather than specialised academic researchers as we would define them today. Researchers of the time used a variety of methods, from first hand observations to statistical analyses, to advocate for these changes. While academic papers from that era might be sparse, government reports, reformers' writings, and journalistic accounts provide a rich source of information about the state and evolution of Manchester prisons during the 19th century (Uglow,1993).

Overall, prison reformers sought to uncover squalid, crumbling and fever-ridden jails where jailers would sell drinks and food and negotiate beds with prisoners. Reformers like Elizabeth Fry, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Thomas Bayley advocated for healthier treatment of prisoners and the introduction of rehabilitation programs (Podmore, 2012). They documented the dire conditions of prisons and advocated for changes that included better sanitation, separation on the basis of gender, and gave an emphasis on moral and vocational training. Improving the conditions of prisons in order to ensure the 'humane confinement' of criminals featured centrally in Bayley's early reform arguments for instance. 'Cleanliness of body, ' he urged, 'is extremely favourable to purity of heart and life’ (Hardman, 2007).  Concerns were expressed also regarding the spread of immorality, but this time within the institutions themselves rather than the county as a whole. The influence of these local philanthropists meant that Manchester's prisons sometimes had more progressive policies regarding inmate education and welfare than other regions. These initiatives included vocational training and educational programs to help reintegrate prisoners into society and Gaskell particularly advocated for women (Uglow, 1993). 

Manchester prisons, like others in England, experimented with different systems of incarceration, including the separate system, where prisoners were isolated from each other to encourage reflection and reform, and the silent system, where prisoners could work together but were not allowed to communicate (DeLacy 1986).  Bayley advocated for hard labour in prison as a place and way to reform offenders. Hard work, he claimed, would improve prisoners’ attitudes and health and, such approach would support offenders’ moral reformations: 'It is well known that constant and laborious employment is most friendly to the principles and habits of virtue.’ (Bayley, cited in Hardman, 2007: 168)

As Manchester's population exploded due to the Industrial Revolution and demographic shifts, the issue of overcrowding in prisons became acute (McConville, 1981). In a document produced in 1783, for example, Bayley urged that prison reform was vital given 'the great increase in the inhabitants of this trading county' which left the existing prisons 'crowded beyond what was possible to be conceived.’ (Bayley, cited in Hardman 2007:62). The rapid rise of the prison population also provoked significant health challenges, in particular contagious illnesses such as geol fever (DeLacy 1986: 90) and venereal disease, which were more pronounced than in rural or smaller prisons (Hardman, 2007: 163).

3. The transformations of 20^th century prison research on Manchester prisons

 In the early 20th century, Manchester's prison system was influenced by the broader wave of sociological research that sought to contextualise prison and connect criminal behaviours to the society. They explored the root causes of criminal behaviour (Alexander and Healy 1935) and the social backgrounds of prisoners (Akers et al, 1977), as well the impact of incarceration on families (Bloom 1995; Shaw 1992). 

With a view of improving reintegration, studies also researched the effectiveness of rehabilitative approaches (Albrecht, 1987), and examined the role of education and vocational training (Martinson 1974; Rothman 1980). Research on offending behaviour programmes became important with a focus on ‘What Works’ (using quantitative meta-analysis to see if interventions led to reduced reoffending), where only measures that were shown to work were implemented (Sherman, 2009).  Manchester prisons also reflected a move away from purely punitive approaches to a more holistic view of inmate development and societal reintegration (Stern, 1979). The evolution from punitive measures to a more rehabilitative and human-centric approach reflected broader societal changes and the growing recognition of the need for evidence-based policy in the realm of criminal justice.

The 2000s rise of the human rights and humanitarian ethos has given emphasis to the impact of incarceration on prisoners (Human Rights Watch 1992; Carrabine et al 2000; Van Zyl Smit 2010). Research on Manchester prisons specifically have scrutinised the psychological impact of prison conditions and the mental health needs of prisoners (Gunn 1992). The 1990 Strangeways riot was a pivotal event as it illuminated severe systemic issues, including inadequate conditions, lack of prisoner engagement, and insufficient rehabilitation opportunities. The aftermath has led to comprehensive research into the causes and consequences of prisoners’ upheavals, culminating in the Woolf Report (Gunn 1992), which recommended widespread reforms in the management and philosophy of incarceration. 

In the last decade, prison research has funnelled its attention to the specific needs of minority groups within the prison population (Spalek and El-Hassan, 2007; Humber et al, 2013). As Manchester's demographic landscape has changed, prison research too has begun to address the needs of a diverse inmate population (Williams, 2005; Earle and Phillips 2012). This includes studies on the specific challenges faced by different ethnic and cultural groups, leading to the implementation of tailored programs and services to better manage and support these diverse groups within the prison system (Williams, 2005). There is also a growing interest for the role of technology in prisoner monitoring within and beyond prison bars (Nellis 2004; Hucklesby and Holdsworth 2016; McDougall et al, 2017). 

Current research continues to focus on the efficacy of different rehabilitation programs and the impact of prison overcrowding, but its scope has expanded to include and draw on different disciplinary perspectives. The rise of interdisciplinary research involving criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, and policymakers has also led to a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of the prison system (Ellis et al 2010; Wooldredge and Smith 2016). 

There is a longstanding tradition at the Department of Criminology at the University of Manchester to carry out qualitative research on the prison experience (Deakin and Spencer 2003; Gadd, 2003; Spencer et al, 2009), with a focus on those who are serving prison sentences. Over the past few years, there has been a shift from research ‘on’ to researching ‘with’ people with lived experience. A couple of collaborative projects have brought together people with lived experience of prison and academics with an expertise in prison research (Turner et al, 2019; Vannier 2020) to produce sociological pieces on the empirical realities of incarceration. In bringing current or former prisoners to the fore, this approach attends to the power disbalances between researchers and participants that are rife in prison research and restore ‘knowledge equity’ (Arrondelle and Conway, 2023; Buck et al. 2023). Moreover, such collaboration promotes inclusivity and empowers those who have directly experienced the system to contribute to its understanding and reform. Collaborative criminological research between academics and individuals also brings a unique perspective to the table, offering overlooked insights, invaluable context and nuance to scholarly inquiries. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, a collaborative approach ultimately fosters more comprehensive and empathetic solutions to complex criminological issues that support a fairer and more effective criminal justice system.

Conclusion

In summary, the 200 years of prison research developed in Manchester provide a rich tapestry of developments that have shaped not only local but also national and international approaches to incarceration, criminal justice reform and research methods. Throughout the 200 years examined, the methodologies employed in prison research in Manchester have evolved significantly. Early studies were primarily descriptive, focusing on documenting conditions and advocating for basic human rights. By the mid-20th century, quantitative methods began to dominate, with researchers using statistical analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions. In more recent years, qualitative methods have gained prominence, with ethnographic studies and in-depth interviews providing insights into the lived experiences of prisoners and staff. Interestingly, carceral spaces predating Strangeways were already criticized for being overcrowded, morally dubious, and unhygienic. This historical trend has persisted over time, with Strangeways itself being no exception. Regrettably, these issues continue to plague many modern prisons. The UK government has on numerous occasions recognized the urgent need to address this challenge, as evidenced by ongoing efforts to alleviate pressure on prison capacity. However, despite the acknowledgment of these challenges, the attention and investment to address them through alternative sentencing programs, community-based rehabilitation initiatives, or innovative approaches remain insufficient (House of Commons, 2023). The recent general elections offer new hopes for penal reforms (The Guardian, 2024).

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