History lecture - Introduction

                       HISTORY OF PRISONS

Prisons, as we know them, relatively recent.  Forms of punishment
historically have included:

   1) ostrecization (e.g., banishment)
   2) corporal punishment
   3) fines
   4) death
   5) torture
   6) ridicule (e.g., stocks; tar & feather)

Prior to Jails:
  1) Poor houses
  2) Alms houses

Jails prior to 18th century used primarily to

   1) keep undesireables out of the way
   2) hold people prior to trial

Not until mid 18th century that jails (NOT prisons)  became used
specificlaly to PUNISH,  and even  then,  terms were relatively
short.

Jails during this period were largely  run by the private sector
(with support from the state).

In colonial period,  crimes were punished especially by whipping,
and continued, in fact, into early 20th century,  and used until
mid-20th Century in prisons as a control mechanism.   BUT:  Crime

increased (explain why--give a "structural" explanation)  and it
was especially during this period  that the "CLASSICAL MODEL" of
criminology influenced  how offenders were treated.    Our own
system followed the classical model--included:

  1) "rational" punishment
  2) adherence to law (a "legal" model)
  3) Focus on the offender
  4) Increase in separating offenders from society
     as part of punishment

JAILS:  FIRST JAIL: Walnut Street (Philadelphia)

FIRST PRISONS:    The PENITENTIARY  as we  know it  came into
existence in  the 1820s  in Pennsylvania  and New  York.   In
Pennsylvania,  for example,  criminal laws eliminated the death
penalty and many  forms of CORPORAL PUNISHMENT  and substituted
imprisonment instead.


We can identify several basic periods in the history of prisons:

   1.  Early American Prisons: 1790-1830:  Mediation by state and
       focused on "moral" rehabilitation
   2.  Discipline model:  1830-1870.   This was typified by Penn
       and Auburn systems (eg, discipline,  religion,  judicial
       reprieve  (probation came  into  existence during  this
       period) and solitary/silent systems.
   3.  Reformatory  Era (1870-1900):    Vocational  training,
       education,  systematic parole,  separation of youths and
       older offenders.
   4.  Industrial prisons  (1900-1940)-- the "BIG  HOUSE" model
       from movies.    Prisons focused especially on  habits of
       industry.
   5.  "Case  work"  prisons  (1940-1980):    Rehabilitation,
       classification, etc
   6.  Human zoos (Warehousing)--1980--present:   This may be the
       emergence of a new model.

The NATURE  of prisons has  undergone changes  corresponding to
social ideology, needs, structures, etc.   To understand prisons,
it's useful to look at THEIR HISTORY.

The TWO BASIC MODELS:

AUBURN MODEL:

   1.  Originated in NY, and built between 1819-1823.
   2.  called the CONGREGATE MODEL because prisoners were allowed
       to congregate together
   3.  Fixed sentences
   4.  Forbidden to converse with other prisoners
   5.  usually worked together Couldn't exchange glances
   6.  special clothes, etc

The PENNSYLVANIA SYSTEM:

   1.  Often called the EASTERN MODEL was located in Philadelphia
   2.  Built with  original appropriation of $60,000  and built
       largely with convict labor
   3.  Started in 1818; opened in 1826
   4.  Prisoners were isolated;  Worked on the principle of total
       solitary confinement.   Prisoners were to eat, work, sleep
       and exercise in individual cells
   5.  prisoners could not see,  talk  to,  or communicate with
       other prisoners.
   6.  Only contact was with guards who brought them meals;  most
       guards left (in principle)  ignorant of who the prisoners
       were (mention problems with this)
   7.  Only a few select visitors
   8.  Principle was  that prisoners  should reflect  on their
       crimes.
   9.  Worked in cells, given bibles, etc

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO:

  1) Both designed to break the spirit
  2) Both popularized "prison as fortress"
  3) Both placed maximum emphasis on limiting
     prisoner communication, etc
  4) Both implied a movement toward moral
     correctness (almost theological) and the
     work ethic

PROBLEMS:

  1) mental health/suicides
  2) very costly
  3) Many returned, making "penance" value questionable
  4) Considered by many to be inhumane

So: The Eastern model simply didn't work.   It didn't deter crime
or even manage to end recidism,  and this sparked a prison reform
movement.

The PHILOSOPHY of prisons and  their goals was debated intensely
during the 19th century.  Prisons eventuall became places to:
   1) Keep prisoners out of society
   2) Punish
   3) Work and provide labor

Although the forms varied from state to state, for the most part,
prisons became similar  in structure towhat we  know today (ie,
thick walls, guards, regimentation, etc).
There were many debates over  these models,  and continuation of
Eastern model essentially political.  It was soon replaced (1829)
with a WESTERN PRISON (pittsburgh)   closer to the AUBURN MODEL.
In fact,  the "EASTERN MODEL"  soon broke down,  and prisoners
allowed to  congegrate somewhat,  and some  remodelling occured
allowing more access.

(NOTE ALSO:
  1) Prisoners may have communicated in fact
  2) Guards may not have been as rigorous to rules
     as supposed, making isolation questionable

NOTE:   Typical industry during this time was nailmaking, carding
wool and hair, making clothes, stone-sawing, and weaving.
What led to changes?

   1.  Economics--Auburn model  cheaper--required less  care of
       prisoners, less maintenance, and less room for them
   2.  Politics/ideology--debates over "which is  best" became a
       political as well as correctional issue, and took the form
       of political debate
   3.  Ideology/humanitarianism:  "reform" groups opposed Eastern
       model
   4.  There was also "unscrupulous"  manipulation of statistics
       to continue  to justify EASTERN  MODEL which  many found
       unconscienable when discovered
   5.  ideology:  Changes in purpose of corrections (pennance or
       work ethic)
   6.  structural: Too many offenders to be easily accomodated by
       Eastern model

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