History of State and Federal Prisons

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CJS 230 CheckPoint History of State and Federal Prisons The history of state prisons all started when the concept on the institution was based upon the penitentiary. The penitentiary was based on the 18th century when legal reformed where scholars searched for more humane and reform oriented alternative to physical punishments and deaths which seemed inhumane. In the late 1700’s, principles of work, humble attitudes, and isolation were instilled upon the inmates in order to change the nature of confinement. Some of the penitentiaries had large open spaces with a glass top ceiling to have better lighting and help cut the cost of electricity. It also helped the police officers to supervise the inmates. In the early 1900’s and the Great Depression brought forth agricultural prisons, which has farms and big plantations where the inmates could work. This had the inmates thinking about working in other certain areas, such as clearing forests, public roads, and other public projects where inmates earned the name slaves. Maximum security was the norm for early penitentiaries because it had cell blocks stacked in tiers, massive concrete, steel construction, guard towers, and high walls. The inmates were controlled with high levels of intimidation and isolation. In 1930, was when the federal prisons began, but before this year federal prisoners had served their time in the local and state institutions. Before the Civil War there were not many federal criminals or crimes happening until after the war. Jails and prisons began to experience overcrowding and it was evident that something must have to be done. The first U.S. Penitentiary was formed in Kansas where they housed federal prisoners. Many other federal prisons started to build their penitentiaries. Federal prisons rate expanded as time passed by and as well as the problem of overcrowding. The federal

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