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Prisons in the U.S have undergone significant changes since the first one was established on the continent. During the Colonial period, the system relied on capital and corporal punishments and asked for reforms, which were officially carried out after the American Revolution. The Auburn system and the Pennsylvania system were the first ones to emerge, focusing on rehabilitation as the goal for prisoners. The idea was that the solitary confinement could enable the criminals to reflect upon their crimes and work on themselves. The only difference was that the Auburn one allowed the inmates to work outside, while the Pennsylvania system did not let them leave the cells (Banks, 2017). Both systems were criticized, with the Auburn one becoming more widespread as it was more affordable and beneficial for the states.
Nevertheless, work by day and solitary confinement by night proved to be a flawed regime. The government saw the forced labor in the penitentiaries as a “source of state revenue” (Banks, 2017, p. 13), and the anticipated retribution of the inmates was not coming. Besides, brutality and corporal punishment from the guards appeared in the disorganized and overcrowded establishments. As people stopped believing in the system, the Reconstruction era brought a new idea. The declaration of 1870 suggested dividing prisoners according to their offenses and educating them to help them fix themselves (Banks, 2017). The principles gradually spread around the U.S., and solitary confinement became a punishment for misbehavior.
The Progressive era came to America and influenced various spheres of life, including the prison system. It introduced a “correctional approach based on science” (Banks, 2017, p. 33) and improved sentencing with probation and parole implemented. Over time, the focus shifted on ensuring safety within the jail and annihilating the prison culture, but not for long. After World War II, the 20th century was turbulent for numerous reasons for the country, which resulted in a change of attitude. The public began to view criminals with less sympathy; the punitive approach replaced the restorative one.
After periods of improvements and deteriorations, American prisons partially returned to their cruel roots. The U.S. will be able to prosper if only it revives the idea of retribution and focuses on turning the criminals into functioning members of society. Given how today people fight for civil rights and comment on the worsening situation in jails, we can expect the changes for the best.
Reference
Banks, C. (2017). Prisons in the United States: A reference handbook. ABC-CLIO
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