Chapter 13
Corrections: History, Institutions, and Populations
The History of Correctional Institutions
 Prisons: state or federal correctional institution for incarceration of
felony offenders for terms of one year or more
 Jails: place to confine convicted misdemeanants serving less than
one year or to hold people awaiting trial
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Incarceration did not become the norm until 19th century
 Institutions constructed in England during the 10th century were used
to detain those awaiting trial or punishment
 First penal institutions were foul places devoid of proper care, food,
or medical treatment
 In the 18th century hulks (mothballed ships) were used to house
prisoners in England
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 American Developments
 Correctional reform first instituted in the United States
 First American jail built in James City, Va
 Modern American correctional system had its origin in
Pennsylvania under leadership of William Penn
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Quaker influence
 Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons
began focus on humane and orderly treatment
 Influence on legislature resulted in limiting the use of the death
penalty
 Walnut Street Jail
 Penitentiary house
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Auburn system
 In 1816 New York built a new prison in Auburn hoping to alleviate
overcrowding at Newgate
 Tier system, because cells were built vertically on five floors
 Also known as the congregate system
 Three classes of prisoners were created:

Those in solitary

Those allowed labor as a form of recreation

Largest class worked and ate together during the day and
separated at night
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Pennsylvania system
 Placed each inmate in a single cell
 Classifications were abolished because isolation would prevent
inmates from contaminating each other
 Built in a circle with cells placed along its circumference
 Designed as a place for prisoners to do penance
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Prisons at the Turn of the Century
 Prisons of the late 19th century were remarkably similar to those
of today.
 Development of prison industry

Contract system

Convict-lease system
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Reform Movements
 1870 National Congress of Penitentiary and Reformatory
Discipline began new era of prison reform
 Zebulon Brockway, Elmira Reformatory, advocated individualized
treatment, indeterminate sentences, and parole
 Brockway’s achievements were limited although he did introduce
a degree of humanitarianism into prisons
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Creation of Parole
 1850’s Walter Crofton created forerunner of parole in Ireland

Inmates spent last portion of their sentences living in
intermediate institution and working in outside community
 Crofton’s success led to creation of similar programs in United
States
 Focused on transition back into society
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Prisons at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
 Time of contrast in the U.S. prison system
 Advocated of reform, rehabilitation, education, religion
 Conservatives opposed to reform believed in stern disciplinary
measures
 Ultimately many reforms would be implemented
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Development of Specialized Prisons
 Industrial prisons for hard-core inmates
 Agricultural prisons for nondangerous offenders
 Institutions for criminally insane
 Opposition by organized labor restricts the use of prison labor and
sale of prison made goods
The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Contemporary Correctional Trends
 Prisoners’ rights movement
 Violence within the corrections system became a national
concern
 View that traditional correctional rehabilitation efforts have failed
prompted reconsideration of incapacitating criminals
Jails
 Five purposes
 Detain accused offenders who cannot make bail
 Hold convicted offenders awaiting sentence
 Principal institution of confinement for those convicted of
misdemeanors
 Hold probationers and parolees arrested for violations and waiting
for a hearing
 House felons when state prisons are overcrowded
Jails (cont.)
 About 700,000 offenders are being held in jails today
 Number has risen significantly since 1990 even though crime rate
has trended downward
 Almost 90% are males
 Poor, racial and ethnic minorities are over-represented
Jails (cont.)
 Jail Conditions
 Usually low priority item in the criminal justice system run by
county officials
 No unified national policy on what constitutes adequate
conditions
 Current movement to remove people from jails through bail reform
and pretrial diversion
Jails (cont.)
 Jail Overcrowding
 Prison overcrowding forces officials to use local jails to house
inmates
 Mandatory jail sentences for drunk driving
 Crackdown on substance abuse
 Mandatory arrest policies for domestic violence
Jails (cont.)
 New Generation Jails
 Modern design to improve effectiveness
 Use of pods or living areas rather than linear/intermittent
surveillance model of traditional jails
 Allow for continuous observation of residents
 Believed to result in safer environment for staff and inmates
Prisons
 Types of Prisons
 Maximum-Security: houses dangerous felons, strict security, high
walls, limited contact with outside world
 Super-Maximum Security: used to incapacitate most dangerous
felons with 23 hour day lockdown
 Medium-Security: less secure institution to house nonviolent
offenders and provides more contact with outside world
 Minimum-Security: houses white collar and nonviolent offenders,
few security measures, liberal furlough and visitation policy
Alternative Correctional Institutions
 Prison Farms and Camps
 Found primarily in the South and the West
 Prisoners on farms produce dairy products, grain, and crops
 Forestry Camp inmates maintain state parks, fight forest fires,
and do reforestation work
Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Shock Incarceration in Boot Camps
 Typically for youthful, first-time offenders
 Military discipline and physical training
 Short periods of high intensity exercise will shock the inmate into
going straight
 Some have educational and training elements
Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Evaluating Shock Incarceration
 Cost is no lower than traditional incarceration
 High failure rates
 Doris Layton Mackenzie
 Reduce prison overcrowding
Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Community Correctional Facilities
 Bridge the gap between institutional living and the community
 Offer specialized treatment
 Used as intermediate sanction
 Halfway houses
Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Private Prisons
 Prisons operated by private firms as business enterprises
 In some instances private company builds the prison and leases it
back to the government allowing state to avoid the difficulty of
getting voters to approve bond issues.
 Some companies contract to provide specific services in an
institution such as medical or food services
Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)
 Evaluating Private Prisons
 Some research shows recidivism rates lower for private than
state-operated prisons
 Private and public prisons cost about the same to operate, but
privates are cheaper to build
 Concerns over profit-driven decisions by private prisons
 Unresolved legal issues: use of deadly force and immunity from
lawsuits
Correctional Populations
 Reflects common traits of arrestees held in local jails: young, single,
poorly educated, male and minority group members.
 Number of women incarcerated is increasing at a faster rate than
males
 Many inmates suffer from multiple social, psychological and
emotional problems
 Prison populations continue to increase despite a decade long drop
in the crime rate
Correctional Populations (cont.)
 Explaining Population Trends
 Legislation fueled by public concern about drugs and violent
crime
 Use of mandatory sentences
 Truth in sentencing laws result in longer prison stays
 Policy decisions driven by political concerns