The book contains an account of the State of Prisons from the earliest times to the present day, with the history of notable cases. Arthur Griffiths was a British military officer, prison administrator, and author who published more than sixty books during his lifetime. He was also a military historian who wrote extensively about the wars of the 19th century and was for a time military correspondent for The Times newspaper.

Content includes:

The Fleet Prison

Abuses at the Fleet

Famous Dwellers in the Fleet

The King's Bench Prison

Life in the King's Bench

English Prisons of War

The Hulks

American Prisoners in England

French War Prisons

Later Records

American War Prisons