Penitentuary Ideal and Models of American Prison

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Penitentiary Ideal and Models of American Prison. The ideals of a penitentiary was more like a set of principles. I wasn’t meant to be a physical building, it was more of a concept. Penitentiary’s were supposed to be a place free of humane punishment, not a place of physical punishment. The main purpose of a penitentiary was to be secular and spiritual, A healthy atmosphere without any types of body or spiritual pollution. The ideal also was meant to be a place where prisoners could express regret and sorry for wrong doing, or expressing the regret for sin. The principle goal of a penitentiary was to induce a spiritual transformation in the prisoners. There was two prison models, one being the Eastern State or Pennsylvania model which was designed by a young British born architect named John Haviland. This prison was built in the outskirts of Philadelphia. This design had seven cell block and resembled a Scottish castle, with high walls. This model was made for isolation of inmates, fair treatment and the opportunity for work. This ideal was based on reflection for wrong doing and reformation/ rehabilitation. Each cell had a skylight, which “represented “the eye of God,” the idea that God was watching each inmate”. This system kept the inmates in isolation, which two 30 minute exercise sessions per day, with no communication from other prisoners. The work that prisoners did in this model was weaving, leather working, carpentry, and shoe making, which all was to be done from their cell. The second model was called the Auburn model or New York model. Two prisons were made in this model which were, the Auburn and the Sing Sing prisons. The cells in these prisons were smaller than that of the Eastern State penitentiary. The first prisoners were introduced to the Auburn prison in 1817.

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