Human rights and respect in prisons: The prisoners' perspective

It is now widely accepted that people sentenced to imprisonment are in prison as punishment: that the punishment is loss of liberty, and they are not to be further punished by harsh conditions, humiliation or violence. This article examines the application of this principle in the face of the realities of detention. It draws on interviews with people held in Victorian and Western Australian prisons to identify key rights of importance to prisoners, and the rights which need to be most comprehensively protected. The article highlights the centrality of respect and the recognition of human dignity, regarded as fundamental for the research participants, and explores ways in which respect might be embodied in the prison environment.