If necessity is the mother of invention, prison cells must be veritable hotbeds of creativity — and not just for making wine in toilets or tattoo guns from Bic pens and guitar strings. According to three Italian designers who've been holding design workshops with prisoners since 2003, the incarcerated are brilliant lifehacks. And we can learn from them. Read More >>

When one of Britain's biggest cyber criminals was jailed in 2011, officials thought they'd be safe from his internet attacks. But then he managed to sneak into a prison computer class and hack the jail's network. Read More >>

When I went to prison, in 1987, Motorola manufactured the large, gray cellphone that I used. People referred to it as "the brick." It had the capacity to send or receive phone calls, but there wasn't any text messaging back then. Read More >>

A plastic prison for cellphones might only seem useful for parents who want to make sure their kids are doing homework instead of texting friends. But just think how much work you could get done without easy access to Twitter, Facebook, and Words With Friends. This novelty item could vastly improve the nation's productivity. Read More >>

Gordon Ramsay recently caused a serious spud-related security scare over at Brixton Prison where he’s teaching inmates how to cook for a new show. His production team set off a prison wide search after it appeared a potato peeler was missing and potentially in the lethal hands of those at her Majesty’s pleasure. Read More >>

Not just any prison — Swedish prison. After fighting copyright infringement charges for years, the three gents behind the world's most notorious torrent site are headed to the slammer. Luckily, TPB lives, and Swedish prison is great! Read More >>

Boffins from the Asian Forum for Corrections have partnered with South Korea's Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Justice Ministry to put robots on patrol. The 1.5-metre tall robots will take the night shift keeping prisoners in-check. Read More >>

Prison is a sad, cold, horrible place to be. What reminds you of home more than a hot, home-cooked meal? Nothing. Since these prisoners can't go home— Maybe ever—they have to bring home to the cell block. Read More >>

A movie-goer's concept of prison economy is likely that it's a cigarette-fueled barter system. That may be part of it, but it only scratches the surface. The truth is a violent world of sex, drugs and... postage stamps? Read More >>

Heading to the place where a prison's homicide evidence is kept, you might expect to see a few sharpened objects—maybe a bludgeon or two. You would be underprepared. Read More >>

True -- this feature, from our bigger brothers on Gizmodo US, is about an American prison, and not at all relevant to our law-abiding British readers here on Gizmodo UK. But we think it's a fascinating look at the very prison Johnny Cash once recorded a live album in: San Quentin. - Kat. Read More >>

We've seen a million and one clever ways to smuggle a cell phone into a prison before. Hidden inside buttholes, baked into bread and even shot over with a bow and arrow but flying in a phone with a RC helicopter into the prison might be the most tech savvy way yet. Too bad it crashed. Read More >>