History Of The Prison System - 1067 Words

The history of the prison system in the US is very extensive and encompasses nine different eras which include the Penitentiary era, Mass Prison, Reformatory, Industrial, Punitive, Treatment, Community-based, Warehousing, and the Just-desert era. Each era had its own strength and weaknesses that influenced each subsequent era that came after. the idea of a prison system came about from the colonist desire for a more humane method of dealing with criminal offenders. It was a key move away from corporal and capital punishment to confinement and reform. The Penitentiary era started in 1790 and lasted until 1825. It was the first period in the United States prison history that witnessed the creation of 30 state prisons modeled after the penitentiary constructed in Auburn, New York(Ortmeier). In 1790, the Quakers first developed the concept of the prison system where offenders would be reformed through solitary confinement and the study of religious writings. The main point of the Quakers prison was the humane treatment of prisoners. Under this model inmates were confined to separate, individual cells, where all daily activities were conducted. This system became known as the Pennsylvania model. The Pennsylvania system eventually lost out to the Auburn model, mainly due to the belief that the Pennsylvania systems strict silence and solitary confinement measures drove inmates insane. Under this system inmates became cost-effective labor for manufacturers. In the end bothShow MoreRelatedEssay on History of the Prison System3187 Words à ‚  |  13 PagesPrison is an institution for the confinement of persons convicted of criminal offenses. Throughout history, most societies have built places in which to hold persons accused of criminal acts pending some form of trial. The idea of confining persons after a trial as punishment for their crimes is relatively new. During the 15th century in Europe, the penalties for crimes were some form of corporal punishment like whippings for less serious crimes and execution or enslavement for moreRead MoreAmerican Prison System Essay945 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Prison Systems Introduction In many countries national prisons are operated and supplemented by provinces and state counterparts. Prisoners are held in prisons and jails throughout the country and globally convicted of various crimes and offenses. The nature of the offense determines where the prisoner is held and the lengths of times. There are institutions that vary in level of security in both the state and federal prison system. However, the majority of prisoners areRead MorePurpose and History Paper783 Words   |  4 Pages* Running Head: Purpose and History Paper * * * * * * * * * * Purpose and History Paper * Joseph Ford * CJA/234 * August 20, 2012 Robert Major * * * Prison development dates all the way back to the early Roman times and even then there were forms of punishment for criminals. In today’s society we have come a long way from the Roman times with the way prisons are ran and punishments are enforced. With this developmentRead MorePenitentiary Ideal and the American Prisons1292 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Penitentiary Ideal and the American Prisons: Prisons have developed to become famous institutions in the modern society to an extent that its difficult to remember that these institutions have a history of slightly over two centuries. Prisons emerged in Europe first before the United States as a product of the dual transformation that established the basis for contemporary capitalism. The institutions are famous because they are an integral part of the criminal justice system that house condemned and convictedRead MoreCritical Review On Angela Davis873 Words   |  4 Pagesbeen focusing on fighting against the prison system. She is the founder of Critical Resistance, a national organization about prison industrial complex. Her book Are prisons obsolete? explores prison abolition. Are prisons obsolete? is published by Seven Stories Press in 2003. In Are prisons obsolete? Davis explores and critiques the current prison system. She researches and explains slavery, gender structure, the prison industrial complex . She argues th at prison are undemocratic because they areRead MoreHistory and Purposes of Prisons884 Words   |  4 PagesHistory and Purpose of Penitentiaries Jeffrey Brown CJA234 July 7,2012 George Chavarria History and Purpose of Penitentiaries Crime has had an impact on society for years, and will continue to do so well into the future. The presence of criminals and criminal acts proved that there was and all ways will be a need for penitentiaries. Correctional facilities no matter if they are prisons, jails, or penitentiaries are all part of the criminal justice system. Their overall goal and objectiveRead MorePurpose and History of Punishment785 Words   |  4 PagesPurpose and History of Punishment The American society of punishment has been heavily based on British law, which has in turn grown from Western capital punishment and personal retribution. In the seventh century A.D. leaders in government have begun to realize that crimes harmed society. The government started becoming more involved in controlling crimes and punishment for the crimes being committed. To protect the citizens the leaders of the governing body assembled a set of laws that were passedRead MorePurpose and History Paper865 Words   |  4 PagesPurpose and History Norris R. Billingsley CJA 234 October 8, 2013 Yolonda Johnson Purpose and History In reference to the history of punishment for crimes, which date back as far as 450 B.C., some of the earliest methods of punishment are replaced by more efficient and humane methods of punishments or corrections. Punishments back then were harsher, brutal, and inhumane because people strongly believed in the retributive approach to crimes committed by individuals. Punishments such as whippingsRead MorePrisons : Prisons And Prisons1332 Words   |  6 PagesJails and Prisons Comparison Paper Throughout history, the general public often misinterprets the difference between jails and prisons. For long confinement terms, jails are not used to hold sentenced offenders. However, jails are the oldest of the correctional components. According to Seiter (2011), jails were initiated prior to halfway houses, parole, probation, or prisons. Also, jails hold various offenders such as those being held administratively for a criminal justice agency, waiting to transferRead MoreThe Prison System1048 Words   |  5 PagesFinal Exam Essay Question #2 Question: Discuss the history of the prison system in the United States. Be sure to identify the various stages that the American prison system has gone through. Also identify what problems were present with each stage as you see them. Response: American prison system incarceration was not officially used as the main form of punishment in United States (U.S.) until around the 1800’s. Before that time criminals were mainly punished by public shaming, which involved punishments