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"The Great Law"
In 1682, Pennsylvania adopted "The Great Law" written by William Penn, an English Quaker. This law was more humane than previous British laws. "The Great Law" emphasized on hard labor as a more effective punishment than death. Previous British laws relied heavily on corporal punishment since incarceration was not an extended practice. In Penns law, only premeditated murder was punishable by death. -
The Anglican Code
The Anglican Code listed 13 capital offenses, with larceny the only felony not punishable by death. Whipping, branding, mutilation and other corporal punishments were prescribed for other offenses as were fines. This code stayed in effect until the Revolution. -
On Crimes and Punishments
Beccaria published his essay "On Crimes and Punishment" in 1764, but for fear of political backlash, he published it anonymously. It was only after it was accepted by the government did Beccaria have it published under his name. Beccaria felt there needed to be a criminal justice system and a government if there was to be a civilized society. he didnt feel the current was appropriate. His essay created a blueprint for which the new enlightened criminal justice system would be based. -
John Howard
John Howard was known as the great European prison reformer. He was credited with the beginning of the penitentiary system. He traveled throughout Europe and brought attention to the bad conditions under which inmates were confined. Howard's work, State of Prisons was published in 1777 and was influential in prison reform. -
The Pennsylvanian System
The Pennsylvania Syste was based on Quaker ideas. Quakers became influential in Philidelphia as they formed the Society for the Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisoners in 1787. The idea of the Pennsylvania System was to put prisoners in solitary confinement to relfect on theri wrong doing. -
The Principles of Morals and Legislation
Jeremy Bentham was a philosopher and social reformer. He first got his attention as a critic of the criminal law in England. He believed that enlightned and public spirited statesmen would overcome conservative stupidity and institute progressive reforms to promote public happiness. -
Walnut Street Jail
The Walnut Street Jail was established by a 1790 Pennsylvania statute. Its often referred to the first U.S. Prison. The facility featured classification of inmates by gender, work opportunities which kept the inmates busy and made the institution self-supporting. -
The Auburn System
The New York State Penitentiary at Auburn was based on the congregate system. Under this system, inmates worked during the day in workshops and then kept apart during the night. Elam Lynds, the warden at Auburn instituted a reign of discipline that included the lockstep and wearing striped uniforms. -
Alexander Maconchie
Alexander Maconochie was consiered the father of parole for the penal reform he put into place. -
Elmira Reformatory
The first reformatory was built in Elmira, New York. Zebulon Brockway was appointed superintendant. He was a big advocate of diagnosis and treatment. He emphasized education and training to treat inmates. In addition Brockway used a mark system of classification, indeterminate sentencing and parole.
