The reign of King Stephen (1135-54) is famous as a period of weak government, when Stephen and his rival Empress Matilda contended for power in a succession dispute. During his reign, Stephen lost control over Normandy, the Welsh marches, and much of the North. Even though Stephen remained king for his lifetime, leading churchmen and laymen negotiated a settlement whereby the crown passed to the Empress's son, the future Henry II. This volume by leading scholars is a study of medieval kingship at its most vulnerable and explains how the English monarchy was able to survive the anarchy of King...

State controlled--though increasingly privately run--prisons are the organs of state power which are used to punish deviant members of society. Much is known about prisons, their administration, their effectiveness and their problems, and since the late 1980s prisons have become the focus of increased attention from researchers, policymakers and government. However, little attention has been given to comparing and contrasting prison systems in different countries. This collection brings together leading prison scholars from the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia to offer...