Introduction; 1 The organisation and the task, The theoretical problem, The prison officer-task and structure; 2 The background to the centralisation of the prison system, The erosion of local power, The Prisons Act 1877-the end of local administration; 3 Building the prison service, The new Prison Commission, 'Economy and uniformity', The principal staff problems inherited from the local services, The para-military structure, 'Militarism'; 4 1850-80: the early years, The convict service inheritance, The early years of the local service; 5 1880-91: two major inquiries, The Rosebery Committee, The De Ramsey Committee; 6 1892-5: the Gladstone Committee, Events leading to the Gladstone Committee, The evidence and background to it, The Committee's recommendations, The effects of the Gladstone Report; 7 1895-1921: a change of direction, Introduction; The end of the separate system; New methods of control; The staff in a changing situation; The role of the governor; Prisoners and uniformed staff-situations compared; 'Put your trust in the magazine and all will be well'-officers and trade unions; The end of the Ruggles-Brise regime; 8 1922-45: the Paterson initiative, The golden age of prison reform, The Dartmoor mutiny, Reformation and the officer I: crystallising a conflict, The borstal housemaster, Reformation and the officer II: a lowering of status, Escapes-measuring task failure, The effect of the war; 9 1945-68: the crisis erupts, Further reforms, A mounting crisis, The context of the officer's role, 'The modern prison officer', Events leading to the Mountbatten Report, The Mountbatten Report and recommendations, Conclusion; 10 Postscript; Some results of the implementation of the Mountbatten recommendations; Appendix: The closing of prisons in 1878; Bibliography; Index.