Prisoner litigation is often viewed as an attempt by prisoners to seek release, as an "abuse of the courts," or as frivolous activity by prisoners who have little else to do with their time. The author challenges each of these views and argues that prisoners tend to challenge the conditions of their confinement rather than the fact of their confinement. The book examines the history of U.S. law, focusing especially on the concepts of individual rights, judicial review, and the interrelationship of federal to state judiciary and criminal justice system. It traces the emergence of prisoner litigation since the 1960s and its use as a means of social change.