In order to offer some context for themes set for this conference, alternative answers to the three-part question are explored. Ways of seeing learning, prisons and prisoners are each looked at in turn, and in each case an argument against a narrowing of perspective is made. We can view learning in the adult education tradition as geared to "the whole person," or we can resort to deficit models such as seeing primarily the student's weaknesses, or, indeed, seeing a person mainly as an offender. A definition of, and principles for, an adult education approach to literacy are put forward. Then, different models for viewing prisons are set out: The currently-dominant punitive model, which pushes the idea that prison works and denies the detrimental effects of imprisonment; and an alternative based on the philosophy of the Council of Europe and illustrated in the European Prison Rules. The deficit view of learning and the punitive model of prison each rely on a diminished view of the person held in prison, in contrast to, say, Nordic perspectives, which recognize people's humanity and citizenship. (Contains 2 endnotes.) [This paper is a revised version of the opening keynote speech given at the Australasian Correctional Education Association Conference, "Inside Learning for Outside Living: Addressing Recidivism through Education", in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, in October 2005.]