The Barlinnie Special Unit: Art, Punishment and Innovation

Fifty years ago, a small unit in HM Prison Barlinnie, Glasgow, became a radical experiment whose approach polarised opinion.It encouraged shared decision-making between prisoners and staff, allowed greater access to families and enabled prisoners to explore creative activities.Through the support of visiting artists, and the voices of the prisoners themselves, notably the sculptor Jimmy Boyle (author of A Sense of Freedom), its impact challenged prevailing, disciplinarian prison culture. Arts of various kinds, plus respectful and challenging dialogue, released dormant abilities and strengths in hitherto recalcitrant, formerly violent prisoners.Always controversial, the legacy of the Barlinnie Special Unit challenges overly punitive ideas around crime to this day. The first edited collection on the Barlinnie Special Unit's almost 22-year history with contributions by those who were there at the time, or helped preserve its legacy.They include artist filmmaker Bill Beech, Scotland's firs