JOHN HOWARD
                            Chris Scneider
                      Northen Illinois University
(Forthcoming, Sage Prison Encyclopedia, 2005, Mary Bosworth, Editor)

 
 
The origins of contemporary prison reform in the United States can
be traced to an 18th century English Sherrif, John Howard
(1726-1790).  At first glance, Howard seems an unlikely champion
of prison reform.  Born in 1726 in Enfield, England to a
comfortable middle class family, Howard's childhood was disrupted
by his uncertain health and the death of his mother when he was
five, and by his father's death when he was 16.  His subsequent
years were spend in travel, and on a trip to Portugal in 1756, his
ship was captured by French privateers, which shaped his future
passion for prison reform (JHSA, 1991).  As a prisoner of the
privateers, he received no food or water while the ship sailed to
Brest, Belgium.  Howard spent the next six days in a dungeon where
treatment of its prisoners was not much different than on the
ship.  Howard was subjected to further imprisonment at Morlaix,
but was soon exchanged for a French officer.  After release,
Howard reported his experience to the British Commissioner of Sick
and Wounded Seamen, and he succeded in securing action to
alleviate the conditions of the other English seamen.  This
incident was instrumental in triggering his passion for subseqent
social reform and later for prison reform (Guy 1875; Lewis, 1998;
JHSA, 1991).
 
In 1773, Howard was appointed as the Sheriff of Bedford.  One of
Howard's civic duties, neglected by his predecessors, was to
inspect prisons.  He soon found that the three regional prisons
treated prisoners with considerable cruelty.  He also found large
numbers of men who were held captive because of inability to pay
jailers' fees, which prisoners were required to pay in lieu of
jailers' salary. The fee arrangement provided no incentive for
gaolers to improve conditions and provide basic amenities.  Up to
that time, a previous unsuccessful attempt had been made to
introduce legislation changing how gaolers were paid.  However, it
was not until Howard made his case to the English Parliament that
two Gaol Acts were passed in 1774.  The first set all prisoners
free who were held for nonpayment of goaler fees, and authorized
gaoler salaries.  The second bill addressed health in prisons by
encouraging improvement of sanitary conditions (Guy 1875; JHSA,
1991).
 
At his own expense, Howard voluntarily began touring the prisons
of Europe to promote reform. He focused especially on
architecture, noting that water, circulation, and light were
generally inadequate. Combined with lack of fuel, inadequate
clothing, poor hygeine and lack of food, prisons were badly in
need of reform.  Drawing from his observations in British and
European prisons, in 1777, he published a pamphlet, The State of
Prisons in England and Wales, which became influential both
England and other countries.  Howard especially drew attention to
many prisons having inadequate water (Sweeting 1884).
 
Shortly after publishing his second and final book, Lazarettos, in
1789, he set off once more for Eastern Europe.   After tending to
a prisoner with typhus, Howard became ill and died January 20,
1790.  Yet, 200 years after his death, his legacy continues.
Howard is credited as the discoverer or inventor of many modern
methods of dealing with social wrongs in prisons  (Guy 1875; JHSA,
1991).  He also introduced the "dawn of practical hygiene" to
prisons (Sweeting 1884:140).  Two influential prison reform
organizations currently bear his name: The John Howard Association
of Alberta, Canada, and the John Howard Association in Chicago,
Illinois.  Both have expanded his legacy by successfully
advocating for improved prison conditions and treatment.
 
                         References
 
Lewis, Brenda Ralph.  1998.  John Howard.
http://www.britannia.com/history/biographies/jhoward.html
 
Guy, William A. 1875. "John Howard's True Place in History." Journal of
the Statistical of London. 38:430-437.
 
John Howard Society of Alberta (JHSA). 1991. "John Howard: Portrait of a 
Hero." A Publication of the John Howard Society of Alberta:
http://www.johnhoward.nf.ca/org/jh_hstry.HTM
 
Sweeting, R.D.R. 1884. "The Experiences and Opinions of John Howard on
Preservation and Improvement Of the Health of Inmates of Schools, Prisons,
Workhouses, Hospitals, and Other Public Institutions, as far as Health is
Affected by Structural Arrangements Relating to Supplies to Air and Water,
Drainage, &c." Journal of the Statistical Society of London 47:25-141.