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History of American Prisons. Mrs. Auvil Social Studies 9. Vocabulary. Penitentiary- from the Latin word for remorse Quakers- religious group William Penn was a part of (nonviolent group) Prison- a public building used for the confinement of people convicted of serious crimes. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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History of American Prisons
Mrs. AuvilSocial Studies 9
VocabularyPenitentiary- from the Latin word
for remorseQuakers- religious group William
Penn was a part of (nonviolent group)
Prison- a public building used for the confinement of people convicted of serious crimes
400 - 1000 A.D. PunishmentsPeasants (poor people)
couldn't pay finesLed to corporal punishment
WhippingBrandingTorture
1400’s EnglandKing Henry VIII
started executions, banishment, mutilation, branding, and flogging for criminalsAnywhere from
murderers to robbers
First PrisonsIn Europe, prisons were only
used to hold people before they went to court
Meant for a short time only
The State of Georgia
Debtors, people who owed money to the king of England (King George), were sent to live in Georgia… our first “prison”
Georgia cont.Between 1717 and 1775, at least
10,000 convicts were sent to the Georgian colony
This was not a punishment though because they made friends with the Native Americans and had a good life
James City, VirginiaFirst American jail house in
colonies1600’s
James City Prison
Criminal paid for his crimes by giving up his land and belongingsNo property?
Go to prison and work there until victim is paid off.
Original Prisons1820- Walled institutions
“penitentiaries” replaced physical punishment
They were:OvercrowdedDirtyInmates attacked each other regularly
Original Prisons, contAll people together (old, young,
black, white, men, and women)Sheriff had a bar with very expensive
liquor for them to buy
There were fees to have cells locked, unlocked, get food, have heat, and clothes
1776Prisons who were
waiting for their trial might have traded their clothes for liquor. When the trial
wasn’t until after winter they froze to death!
Prostitution
“Certain” women purposely got arrested so they could have access to drunk male prisoners with money!
Death Penalty for…
MurderDenying “the true God” (going
against religion of state)Homosexual actsKidnapping
Prison and Fines for…Cheating on a spouseRapeDebtors
Quaker PrisonsQuakers of
Philadelphia came up with concept of penitentiaryPurpose was to have
criminals reflect on their crime and become truly sorry
Quaker Prisons cont.Their idea was solitary
confinementHoped criminals would reflect and
prayCalled Pennsylvania System
This was the FIRST long-term prison in the world!
Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of
Public Prisons1783- Benjamin Franklin (and
some others) started to change the cruel punishments of criminals
Created the Society in 1787Now called Pennsylvania Prison Society
Walnut Street Prison(First Prison in USA!)
Started in 1790Pennsylvania
System of prison design (solitary confinement)
Become overcrowded because of increased industry and cities
Walnut Street JailReduced crime rate
131 in 1789 to 45 in 1793Reduced escapes to ZERO in first 4
years
Walnut Street Prison cont.
Had workshop teaching tradesLarge rooms (18 feet square) for
30-40 occupantsSamuel Wood (first warden)Closed in 1835
Problem with this system:Solitary confinement caused
Nervous breakdownsSuicides
They thought silence would cause the prisons to not pick up each others bad attitudes
Auburn Prison (in NY)1821- New system
of prisons: “Auburn System”Inmates work 10
hours a day, 6 days a week
Gives sense of purpose, discipline, and order
Auburn SystemThree classes of
prisons:1. Always in solitary
confinement2. Allowed to work
and have occasional free time
3. Largest group- worked and ate together during the day, separate cells at night
Auburn System SCARY!Punishment with whip
to backInmates helped build
Sing Sing Prison, NY in 1825 and NO ONE tried to escapeThey slept outside with
no supervision!
Eastern Penitentiary System
Took down a cherry orchard to build it, so located in Cherry Hill, PA.
Opened in 1829 (not finished until 1835)
Promoted EXTREME isolationCaused suicides
Modern Prison? Each cell had its own small exercise
yard attachedCentral heating (even before the US
Capitol)Flushing toilet in each cell (before
the White House)Shower baths (first in the USA!)
Which is better?
Auburn System proves better than Pennsylvania System
Civil War Era1861-1865
Harsh and brutalStarted two other systems:
Contract System- sold inmates work to local businesses
Convict-Lease System- sold inmates as slaves to businesses (state gave up supervision and control)
Elmira Reformatory, NY1888-1920Z.R. Brockway (warden) created
“new penology”Elementary education for illiteratesLibrary hoursElmira College faculty teach inmatesVocational training shops
Mid-1930’s Freedoms
No more red and white striped uniforms (wore all grey instead)
Mingle around yard for 1-2 hours a day
Got movies and radio
Visitors and mail
Prisoner RightsIn 1971, the Supreme Court gave
prisoners some rights:Freedom of SpeechFreedom of ReligionFreedom from Restraints and Solitary
Confinement due to beliefs, religion, or race
Opportunity to wash, have clean bedding, clothes, heat, cooling, light, and nutrition
Habeas CorpusLaw that protects people from
being put into prison (or locked up) for wrong reasons
Security First, Rights Second
Mail may be searchedReading material may be deniedNewspapers may be edited
(meaning cut out so only certain things can be read)
Ankles and wrists may be shackled when they are moved
“Good Time”This is credit for time served on
good behavior Used to reduce sentence length
One day of “good time credit” for every three days that he/she behaves well