Write a 2000-word critical academic report on punishment and prisons in England and Wales using Harvard referencing. The report must use key criminological theories and the essential readings from weeks 15, and the latest Ministry of Justice Offender Management Statistics Quarterly data. Write in a formal academic style, include critical analysis, and integrate citations throughout the text. Structure the report with the following headings: Introduction Briefly introduce the sociology of punishment and outline the main themes of the report, including penal welfarism, the nothing works debate, the pains of imprisonment, indeterminate sentences, and the future of prisons. 1. Prison population and theoretical debates Using the Ministry of Justice statistics for 30 September 2025, state the numbers of prisoners: on remand serving Extended Determinate Sentences (EDS) serving indeterminate sentences Explain briefly what these figures suggest about the prison population. Then critically discuss: the emergence of penal welfarism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries whether Martinson (1974) was correct to claim that nothing works whether the pains of imprisonment have changed since the mid-twentieth century, drawing on Crewe (2011) and Foucault (1977). 2. Indeterminate sentences and the new penology Critically analyse the use of indeterminate sentences in England and Wales. Explain how these sentences reflect the principles of the new penology described by Feeley and Simon (1992), including ideas of risk management, actuarial justice and population control. Discuss the role of risk assessment tools and parole decisions using Fitzgibbon (2008; 2011). 3. Future prison population and the role of prison Using the Ministry of Justice prison population projections, state: the maximum projected prison population by March 2030 the central estimate for March 2030 Then discuss the prison as an institution that serves capitalism, drawing on Melossi and Pavarini (2018) and Garland (2001). Finally analyse why societies continue to rely on prison despite criticisms of its failure, using Garland (2001) and Scott (2013). Conclusion Provide a concise summary of the key arguments about punishment, prison expansion and the continuing role of imprisonment in modern society. References Use Harvard referencing and include the following core readings where relevant: Garland (2001; 2018), Scott (2013), Cavadino, Dignan and Mair (2013), Crewe (2011), Foucault (1977), Martinson (1974), Feeley and Simon (1992), Fitzgibbon (2008; 2011), Melossi and Pavarini (2018), and Ministry of Justice statistics.