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First jails constructed were in England by order of King Henry II. These jails were originally uesd to hold criminals awaiting trial.
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Quakers developed the first penitentiaries which were deemed a more humane way to punish criminals.
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The Pennsylvania system, which housed prisoners individually, had to be rethought due to the high volume of inmates, creating the Auburn System. Inmates were then housed together, but still had to remain silent.
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Reformatories were introduced in an attempt to rehabilitate the prisoner back into society. This was done thorough labor and schooling. Prisoners did not have a set sentence and could be let out on good behavior.
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The increasing costs for housing inmates was growing, and in an effort to counter those costs, prisons utilized the inmates as cheap labor.
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The purpose of a jail is to house people awaiting trial, or those who have been sentenced to under one year. Prisons are reserved for convicted felons serving at least a one-year sentence. Jails are run by the local Sheriff's department and prisons are run by the state or federally.
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Prisons began being used as a form of punishment rather than a rehab facility in the early 1900s. Maximum-security prisons, such as Alcatraz, were built in secluded areas. Riots and escape attempts increased.
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Rehabilitation regained popularity after WWII. Prisoners were treated with education, mental health therapy, and counseling. Treatment, however, was not welcomed by all prisoners.
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Rather than incarcerating prisoners, they were put into community-based programs that were supervised.
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After an increase of repeat-offenders during the Community-Based Era, society put their foot down. There would be no more catering to the prisoner, but the protecting of citizens. Mandatory, minimum sentencing was introduced, and along with that came overcrowding and understaffing.
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In the mid-90s, prison life became even less appealing. Sentencing was based on the crime itself and mandatory sentences were increased. Prison became a punishment instead of just a deterrent.
