Sex Work Now by R. Campbell and M. O'Neill (Eds.)
1
framed in Florida. Many of those facing death are black and poor as are many of the victims. The lethal penal policies of China, Saudi Arabia and Iran are also mentioned but this is very much a book about, and intended to further activism in, the USA. NIC GROOMBRIDGE Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Media Arts, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham. Sex Work Now R. Campbell and M. O’Neill (Eds.). Cullompton: Willan (2006) 320pp. d22.00pb ISBN 1-84392-096-4 Activists and academics are the contributors to this collection. The book focuses on women sex workers in the UK, despite the wider potential of the title, though issues of trafficking bring in globalisation, transnational policing and immigration policy. Most of the contributors have book-length work on the subject and this book acts partially as a primer for their broader work. Quite rightly the focus is on women’s lived experience of sex work, policing and policy, with health and drugs policy particularly highlighted. Sex work has always presented, and continues to present, difficulties for and within feminism. These difficulties are faced squarely. The editors recognise the dearth of work with punters so it is good to see the question specifically addressed. Hilary Kinnell estimates there are 64 million commercial sex transactions per year in the UK for the 80,000 sex workers. This leads to suggestions that between 11% and 50% of the adult male population had paid- for sex. They were less criminal, more likely to have jobs and instrumental reasons for seeking paid-for sex. They were not exactly the shock troops of patriarchy. The topics covered are all important issues in their own right but if the undergraduate essays and dissertations I supervise are anything to go by, then more students are seeking such a book, which I will be able to recommend. NIC GROOMBRIDGE Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Media Arts, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham. My Brother’s Keeper: Faith-based Units in Prisons J. Burnside with N. Loucks, J.R. Adler and G. Rose. Cullompton: Willan (2005) 390pp. d45.00hb ISBN 978-1-84392-061-8 If an after-dinner conversation ever needs a little catalytic spark there are two reliable subjects that will always do the trick: God and crime. Combination of the two might be considered unwise. However, this is exactly what has happened in practice over the last ten years with the proliferation of faith-based units in prisons within England and America, now spreading to Europe and other Commonwealth countries. Rising above the me ˆle ´e of emotional appraisal levied at such schemes by supporters and dissenters alike, Burnside et al.’s contribution provides a balanced description and thorough assessment of their development and impact. Although some of the units examined in the book run inter-faith or multi-faith programmes, and all are open to inmates of all faiths or no faith at all, the majority of the units are Christian based and all of the units are predominantly run by Christian staff and volunteers. For this reason, Burnside uses the prologue to outline the basic tenets of Christianity inspiring this work with prisoners. The main portion of the text 98 r 2008 The Authors Journal compilation r 2008 The Howard League The Howard Journal Vol 47 No 1. February 2008 ISSN 0265-5527, pp. 97–105
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Transcript of Sex Work Now by R. Campbell and M. O'Neill (Eds.)
framed in Florida. Many of those facing death are black and poor as are many of thevictims.
The lethal penal policies of China, Saudi Arabia and Iran are also mentioned butthis is very much a book about, and intended to further activism in, the USA.
NIC GROOMBRIDGESenior Lecturer in Sociology and Media Arts,St Mary’s University College,Twickenham.
Sex Work Now R. Campbell and M. O’Neill (Eds.). Cullompton: Willan (2006) 320pp.d22.00pb ISBN 1-84392-096-4
Activists and academics are the contributors to this collection. The book focuses onwomen sex workers in the UK, despite the wider potential of the title, though issues oftrafficking bring in globalisation, transnational policing and immigration policy. Mostof the contributors have book-length work on the subject and this book acts partially asa primer for their broader work.
Quite rightly the focus is on women’s lived experience of sex work, policing andpolicy, with health and drugs policy particularly highlighted. Sex work has alwayspresented, and continues to present, difficulties for and within feminism. Thesedifficulties are faced squarely.
The editors recognise the dearth of work with punters so it is good to see thequestion specifically addressed. Hilary Kinnell estimates there are 64 millioncommercial sex transactions per year in the UK for the 80,000 sex workers. Thisleads to suggestions that between 11% and 50% of the adult male population had paid-for sex. They were less criminal, more likely to have jobs and instrumental reasons forseeking paid-for sex. They were not exactly the shock troops of patriarchy.
The topics covered are all important issues in their own right but if theundergraduate essays and dissertations I supervise are anything to go by, then morestudents are seeking such a book, which I will be able to recommend.
NIC GROOMBRIDGESenior Lecturer in Sociology and Media Arts,St Mary’s University College,Twickenham.
My Brother’s Keeper: Faith-based Units in Prisons J. Burnside with N. Loucks, J.R. Adlerand G. Rose. Cullompton: Willan (2005) 390pp. d45.00hb ISBN 978-1-84392-061-8
If an after-dinner conversation ever needs a little catalytic spark there are two reliablesubjects that will always do the trick: God and crime. Combination of the two might beconsidered unwise. However, this is exactly what has happened in practice over thelast ten years with the proliferation of faith-based units in prisons within England andAmerica, now spreading to Europe and other Commonwealth countries. Rising abovethe melee of emotional appraisal levied at such schemes by supporters and dissentersalike, Burnside et al.’s contribution provides a balanced description and thoroughassessment of their development and impact.
Although some of the units examined in the book run inter-faith or multi-faithprogrammes, and all are open to inmates of all faiths or no faith at all, the majority ofthe units are Christian based and all of the units are predominantly run by Christianstaff and volunteers. For this reason, Burnside uses the prologue to outline the basictenets of Christianity inspiring this work with prisoners. The main portion of the text
98r 2008 The AuthorsJournal compilation r 2008 The Howard League
The Howard Journal Vol 47 No 1. February 2008ISSN 0265-5527, pp. 97–105
