1. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Chapter 3Chapter 3
The History of
Corrections in
America
2. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
The History of CorrectionsThe History of Corrections
The Colonial Period
The Arrival of the Penitentiary
The Pennsylvania System
The New York ( Auburn ) System
Debating the Systems
Development or Prisons in the South and
West
Southern Penology
Western Penology
The Reformatory Movement
Cincinnati, 1870
Elmira Reformatory
Lasting Reforms
3. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
The History of Corrections Cont.The History of Corrections Cont.
The Rise of the Progressives
Individualized Treatment and the Positivist
School
Progressive Reforms
The Rise of the Medical Model
From Medical Model to Community Model
The Crime Control Model: The Pendulum
Swings Again
The Decline of Rehabilitation
The Emergence of Crime Control
4. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Evolution of punishmentEvolution of punishment
in America,in America, 1600 – 2000 Flow Chart1600 – 2000 Flow Chart
Crime
Control
Model
1970s - 2000
Community
Model
1960s - 1970s
Medical
Model
1930s - 1960s
Progressive
Period
1890s - 1930s
Reformatory
Movement
1870s - 1890s
Prisons in
South & West
1800’s
Arrival of the
Penitentiary
1790s - 1860s
Colonial
Period
1600s - 1790s
5. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
William PennWilliam Penn
William Penn (1644–1718) English Quaker who
arrived in Philadelphia in 1682. Succeeded in
getting Pennsylvania to adopt “The Great Law”
emphasizing hard labor in a house of correction as
punishment for most crimes
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““Penitentiary”Penitentiary”
an institution intended to
isolate prisoners from
society and from one
another so that they could
reflect on their past
misdeeds, repent, and
thus undergo reformation.
7. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Benjamin RushBenjamin Rush
Benjamin Rush (1745–1813) Physician, patriot,
signer of the Declaration of Independence, and
social reformer, Rush advocated the penitentiary as
replacement for capital and corporal punishment.
8. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
principles of the “penitentiary”principles of the “penitentiary”
isolate prisoner from bad influences of
society - liquor, temptation, people
penance & silent contemplation
productive labor
reform (thinking & work habits)
return to society, renewed
key = solitary confinement
isolate from contagion
foster quiet reflection
punishment, since man is social animal
cheap shorter sentence, fewer guards
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““Separate Confinement”Separate Confinement”
A penitentiary system developed in Pennsylvania in
which each inmate was held in isolation from other
inmates, with all activities, including craft work,
carried on in the cells.
10. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
competing modelscompeting models
Pennsylvania system
“Separate system”
solitary confinement
eat, sleep, work in cell
religious instruction
reflection upon crimes
reform through
salvation
religious enlightenment
model for Europe
e.g.
Walnut St. Jail
Western Penitentiary
Eastern State Pen.
11. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
competing modelscompeting models
Pennsylvania system
“Separate system”
solitary confinement
eat, sleep, work in cell
religious instruction
reflection upon crimes
reform through
salvation
religious enlightenment
model for Europe
e.g.
Walnut St. Jail
Western Penitentiary
Eastern State Pen.
New York system
evolved into
“Congregate system”
hard labor in shops-day
solitary confinement-night
strict discipline
rule of silence
reform through
good work habits
discipline
model for US-economical
e.g., Auburn Prison, 1816
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and the winner is…?and the winner is…?
Pennsylvania/Philadelphia model
Europeans applauded and replicated
New York/Auburn model
won out in US; more cost-effective labor; state
negotiated contracts with manufacturers
but neither curbed crime nor reformed offr’s
various reforms tinkered w/ look, purpose
but icon of high-walled fortress remained:
Attica, Quentin, Folsom, Sing Sing
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Southern penologySouthern penology
Devastation of war and economic hardship
produced 2 results:
Lease system
Private business negotiated with state for labor & care
of inmates--Kentucky (1825)
Penal farms
State-run plantations which grew crops
To feed inmates
To sell on free market
14. Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Western developmentsWestern developments
penology in west not greatly influenced by
the ideologies of the east
prior to statehood, prisoners held in
territorial facilities or in federal military
posts and prisons
1852: San Quentin - California’s 1st prison
1877: Salem, Oregon prison - Auburn model
western states discontinued use of lease
system as states entered into the union
e.g. Oregon, California, Montana, Wyoming
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the Reformatory Movementthe Reformatory Movement
(1870s - 1890s)(1870s - 1890s)
product of disillusionment with
oppressive penitentiary system
focus remained inmate change!
key features:
indeterminate sentences > fixed
offender classification should be based
on character & institutional behavior
use early release as incentive to reform
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Hallmarks of theHallmarks of the
reformatory movementreformatory movement
National Prison Association
precursor: American Correctional Asso.
strong religious influence (still)
Cincinnati meeting,1870
Declaration of Principles
“reformation is a work of time: and a
benevolent regard to the good of the criminal
himself, as well as to the protection of society,
requires that his sentence be long enough for
the reformatory process to take effect.”
e.g., Machonochie, Crofton, Brockway
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““Reformatory”Reformatory”
an institution for young offenders
emphasizing training, a mark system of
classification, indeterminate sentences,
and parole
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““mark system”mark system”
a system for calculating when an offender will be
released from custody, based on both the crime &
his behavior in prison
devised by Alexander Maconochie (England),
at Norfolk Island penal settlement (off Australia, 1840)
at sentencing, offender is ‘given’ a number of
“marks,” based on offense severity
(a “debt” to society, to be “paid” off)
for release, offender must earn marks via
voluntary labor
participation in educational, religious programs
good behavior
adopted in Ireland, never England
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the Irish systemthe Irish system
developed by Sir Walter Crofton
derived from Maconochie’s mark system
four-stage program of graduated release,
based on offender performance
all sentences served in four stages;
move “up” w/ accumulation of marks
1. solitary confinement - all start here
2. public works prison - begin earning marks
3. intermediate stage - (like half-way house)
after earning enough marks
4. ticket of leave - conditional release
= precursor of modern parole
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““reformatory”reformatory”
ZebulonZebulon BrockwayBrockway
an institution for young offenders emphasizing training,
a mark system of classification, indeterminate
sentences, and parole: 1st
time felons (16-30)
diagnosis, individualized treatment, reform
operation:
intake interview: determine causes of crime
individualized work & education program
mark system of classification (work, school, behavior).
move up OR down, with accumulation of marks:
•begin at grade 2
•can earn 9 marks/mo. for 6 months:
• grade 1; or
• grade 3;
•then, 3 mo. good behavior: grade 2 again.
administrators determine release date
Elmira Reformatory (Zebulon Brockway; 1876-1900)
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Reformatory movement endsReformatory movement ends
failed to reform (like penitentiary)
brutality
corruption
not administered as planned
but, important features survived:
inmate classification
rehabilitation programs
indeterminate sentences
parole
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the Progressive Erathe Progressive Era
(1890s - 1930s)(1890s - 1930s)
age of reform: set tone for American
social thought & political action until 1960s!
condemned ills of new urban society--big
business, big industry, urban blight
faith in science to find answers to
crime, criminal behavior, treatment
new faith in government action to
eliminate social problems--slums, crime
trends of period
industrialization
urbanization
technological change
scientific advancement
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the “Progressives”the “Progressives”
socially conscious, politically active, mostly
upper-class reformers of early 1900s
attacked excesses of emergent 20th
century - big business, industry, urban
society
believed science (positivism) + state
intervention could/should solve social &
political problems
advocated “treatment according to the
needs of the offender,” not “punishment
according to severity of the crime”
subscribed to “positivism”
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““positivist school”positivist school”
an approach to criminology and
other social sciences based on
the assumption that human
behavior is a product of
biological, economic,
psychological, and social factors,
and that the scientific method can
be applied to ascertain the causes
of individual behavior
subscribed to by Progressives
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principles of Positivist Schoolprinciples of Positivist School
behavior (including crime) is
NOT the product of free will.
behavior stems from factors
beyond control of the individual
criminals can be treated so
they can lead crime-free lives.
treatment must focus on the
individual & his/her
problem(s).
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““progressive” reformsprogressive” reforms
2 strategies for CJ reform:
improve general social, economic conditions
that seem to breed crime
rehabilitate individual offenders
4 planks in “progressive” platform:
probation (John Augustus, 1841)
indeterminate sentencing (by 1920s, 37 states)
parole (by 1920s, 44 states; 80% of releases)
juvenile courts (1899, Cook County)
By 1970s, most of these enlightened & well-
meaning reforms seen as having failed to live up
to their promise
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The Medical ModelThe Medical Model
(1930s - 1960s)(1930s - 1960s)
a model of corrections positing that
criminal behavior is caused by social,
psychological, biological deficiencies that
require medical treatment
first serious efforts to implement truly medical
strategies aimed at scientifically classifying,
treating, rehabilitating criminal offenders
e.g. “medical” programs & institutions
psychology (Karl Menninger)
Maryland Patuxent Institution, 1955
sexual psychopath, sociopath laws
crime as sickness
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The Community ModelThe Community Model
(1960s - 1970s)(1960s - 1970s)
model of corrections positing goal of CJS:
to reintegrate offender into community
key features
prisons should be avoided;
prison = artificial environment;
prison frustrates crime-free lifestyle
need to focus on offender’s adjustment into
society; not just on psychological treatment
probation
intermediate sanctions;
(alternatives to incarceration)
parole
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The Crime Control ModelThe Crime Control Model
(1970s - 2000)(1970s - 2000)
less ambitious, less optimistic, less
forgiving view of man &
ability of CJS to change him
crime better controlled by more
incarceration & strict supervision
precipitating factors
public concern over rising crime in ‘60s
disillusionment with treatment
public clamor for longer sentences
distrust of broad discretion given to
correctional & parole authorities