1. Incarceration
Past and present

2. Early Prisons
While the dungeon is a traditional, classic punishment, in actuality it was quite rare.
Almost all punishments were physical…

6. The First Prisons Typically used to terrorize political opponents.
The Tower of London, Bastille, etc, were all used as “federal” prisons under centralized authoritarian control.
Local “prisons” did not really exist. Local cases were tried by magistrates.

7. The Bastille
Paris: 1500’s-1789
Federal prison for French monarchy

9. Tower of London

10. During the early 1500’s King Henry VIII used the Tower as an instrument of state enforcement.
Many political prisoners were beheaded there including 2 of his wives!

12. Modern Prisons
After the American and French revolutions, prisons became more widespread with less emphasis on projecting political power.
The writings of the Revolutionary Period gradually encouraged more “fairness” in the judicial process, especially in terms of incarceration.

13. Work Houses
Designed by the British during the late 1700’s as a way of dealing with homelessness and orphaned children.
Orphaned children and the homeless were taken and housed in residential factory complexes until they were able to fend for themselves.

15. The People
Inmates could be old, young, male, female. We often think that workhouses were just for children, but this is not true.
People who lived in workhouses were known as “Inmates”

16. The people
Sometimes whole families could end up together

17. The People in charge
MATRON
MASTER

18. Workhouse Food
Gruel
A cereal mash, often with raw vegetables mixed in

19. Food Food was nasty but beneficial in terms of nutrition…
If you are too weak to work, you are no good to anyone!

20. Sleeping Quarters

21. Work
Boys stripping rope for making Oakum…

22. What is oakum?

27. Crushing Bones for fertilizer

28. Evolution
Workhouses developed an infrastructure that was natural for housing criminals.
Many jails were given over to people who became bankrupt.
Debtors prisons were common in England especially during the 1800’s

29. Jails in the United States
By the 1830’s changes in judicial philosophy had led states to adopt incarceration as a form of punishment. Before that, incarceration was quite rare.
First modern prison in U.S. was the Eastern State Penitentiary, P.A., 1830.
One of the two story cell blocks in Eastern State Penitentiary

30. Eastern State Penitentiary: 1830’s

31. Al Capone’s Cell

32. The first place you go when you get arrested…
County Jail
The first place you go when you get arrested…

33. Purpose Booking newly arrested prisoners.
Prisoners waiting for transfer to another facility (such as State Prison).
Housing prisoners until they make bail (or not…)
Prisoner awaiting trial.
Prisoners sentenced to short sentences for relatively minor crimes (less than 365 days).

34. Design Traditional: Linear, cells often have bars and are in rows.
Inmates move around for chow, exercise, medical, etc…
Old fashioned with too many inmates moving around.
Easy for inmates to control in a riot situation.

35. Design: Traditional

37. Biggest issue is controlling Inmate movement

38. Design Modern: “Pods”, central command centers surrounded by inmates
Inmates exercise and eat where they live
Limits inmate movement
Easy to prevent or react to riot situations

39. Design: Modern

43. County Jail Issues Rampant gang involvement. Overcrowding.
Many people are repeat offenders (esp. drugs).
Many systems let inmates out early to make room (“revolving door”).

44. State Prison
Designed to house persons sentenced to long sentences for serious crimes.
Most have protective custody wings for inmates at risk for retaliation or self-injury and suicide.
Many have isolation units known as “The Hole” for inmates who cause trouble.
Many state prisons have a network of gangs and drug smuggling.

45. Eastern State Prison, Rahway, NJ

47. State Prison Issues
Nationwide, state prison numbers rising alarmingly: between 1990 and 2005, prison population has doubled.
Gangs are well established in state prisons and are increasing in influence.

48. Federal Prison Designed to house persons convicted of federal crimes.
Many federal prisons have death row.
Low, medium, and maximum security

49. ALCATRAZ