prison reform

• Purpose of prisons

  • initially used as holding cell for a suspect before trial, rarely used for punishment, During the 18-1900s the use of prisons grew. Viewed as a suitable alternative to the bloody code and transportation for offenders as it could be used to rehabilitate offenders, seen as an effective deterrent, sentences involved hard work for offender to pay back to society
  • protected society
• Prison reform problems before 1823


  • all prisoners were kept together, women, men, children etc.
  • Prison wardens unpaid which meant they had to earn their money by charging the prisoners fees.
  • The poor relied on charities to pay their fees and conditions were bad, the wealthy could pay for their own rooms and luxury items.
  • overcrowded & unhygienic
• After 1823:

  • reformers like John Howard And Elizabeth Fry thought prisons should be used for rehabilation where prisoners live in humane conditions and taught skills for a chance of reflection
  • Fry had a great influence with politican Peel reforming the prison system
• 1823 gaols act:

  • Peel ensured that prisoners were visited regularly by chaplains, gaolers would be paid so didn't exploit prisoners
  • female prisoners were to be watched by female wardens, prisoners were to be watched by female wardens
  • prisoners not to be held in chains or irons.
  • However, these changes saw little effect as they were no inspectors used to ensure the changes had been met. It wasn't until 1823 that prisons has an official inspectorate, and these changes were properly observed
• case study: pentovile prison

  • Built in London 1842. It had a central hall w, 4 raiding wings, all visible to staff at the centre.
  • This design was intended to keep prisoners isolated. This was part of the "separate and silent" system, a new idea aimed at rehabilitating offenders. It focused on the isolation of prisoners which meant to encourage self reflection & reform.
  • ensured prisoners werent influenced by other harder criminals
• • deter others from commiting similar crimes as of the hard work & offer retribution by ensure that being in prison was severe.
  • many prisoners suffered from depression, high rate of suicide, great opposition to the s&s system, arguments that it was inhumane.
  • reformers like Fry delt the system was used as a deterrent, not rehabilitation
• factors

  poverty and wealth: the old prison sytem was unequal, poor people treated more harsh than wealthy people

  A.I,S: people wanted criminls punished harshly to deter others and reduce crime

  individuals: Peel, Howard, and Fry infuential