The Development of the Use of Prison

What were prisons for?

Prisons were a minor form of punishment until the 19th century, when their use was greatly increased.

How were prisons used in the 18th century?

There were 7 main ways prisons were used in the 18th century:

• ❖ During the 18th century and the early 1800s prisons were run along the same lines as previous centuries.
• ❖ Prisons continued to play only a minor part in the punishment system.
• ❖ Prisons were run by towns and counties, with no national rules about their organisation.
• ❖ All prisoners were housed together - men, women, children, debtors, lunatics - regardless of the crime committed.
• ❖ Prison wardens were unpaid. They earned money by charging the inmates fees for their cell, food and clothing. They also charged them for their release or to see a doctor.
• ❖ The poor relied on local charities to pay their prison fees and lived in crowded, damp and dirty conditions.
• ❖ Richer inmates could afford their own room.

How were prisons used in the 19th century?

During the 19th century there were 4 major reforms (changes) to the prison system:

• ❖ The government began a programme of major penal reforms (changes to the law on punishment).
• ❖ Imprisonment became the normal method of punishing criminals. By the 1860s over 90% of serious offenders were sent to prisons.
• ❖ The huge increase in the number of prisoners led to the government taking over the whole prison system and introducing regulations and inspections.
• ❖ Although it fluctuated across the 19th century, elements of rehabilitation were introduced to prison systems alongside the features that focused on retribution.

Why did prison use increase in the 19th century?

There were 3 main reasons for government reform to prisons and the increasing use of them:

• ❖ The end of the Bloody Code and concerns about transportation meant that by the mid-19th century, prison was viewed as a suitable alternative.
• ❖ The work of reformers John Howard and Elizabeth Fry influenced government thinking about how to run prisons. They wanted to see a greater focus on rehabilitation and reform.
• ❖ Fear of rising crime led to a demand for more effective punishments.