Amazon.com description: Product Description: Prison Populations and Political Choices provides an informed consideration of post-war penal policy, with particular reference to England (and Wales). Attention is focussed on rising prison numbers, especially since 1997, and the likely course of events in the future. To understand criminal policy under New Labour an appreciation is required of the uses to which criminal policy is put within the overall context of contemporary 'progressive politics', but Andrew Rutherford argues that the possibilities for humane and rational policy making are poor against this background and a resurgance of the 'elminative ideal'.