Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison is a brilliant work by Michel Foucault, one of the most influential philosophers since Sartre. This provocative study explores the evolution of the justice system, focusing primarily on France.

Foucault challenges existing ideas surrounding prison reforms from the late 1700s and early 1800s, even into the twentieth century. He suggests that the shift away from public executions towards incarceration was a means of reframing the power dynamics between society and the individual.

The book delves into how the focus of punishment has shifted from the prisoner's body to the soul. It provides a highly provocative account of how penal institutions have become integral to societal control.

Through this work, Foucault offers an in-depth analysis of how modern penitentiaries emerged and how they reflect broader social structures and power relations.