Prison System in the United States
Prison History Growth of the U.S. Prison System
Introduction to Prison System
Between 1816 and 1900, states established many new prisons. Ohio opened the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus in 1834. In 1839 Michigan established the largest state prison of that time in Jackson. Many of the early state penitentiaries were built in areas with large populations. For example, California established the San Quentin prison near San Francisco in 1852. The Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet (near Chicago) was built in 1860. The Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Bridgewater (near Boston) was constructed in 1855, and the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City (near South Bend) was built in 1860.
The American Civil War (1861-1865) indirectly changed the structure and purpose of prisons, particularly in the South. Following the war, the abolition of slavery and the drastic depletion of cheap labor adversely affected the Southern economy. Many Southern states established prisons that exploited inmate labor through various leasing arrangements with private businesses and governments. Inmates in Southern prisons worked in cotton fields, repaired state roads, and engaged in other constructive work. Outside the South many people, including some prison authorities, became increasingly critical of such practices, which they considered exploitation. Although Southern prisons gradually changed their operations to emulate those of other regions of the country, especially during the 1940s, modern prison industry retains an element of prisoner exploitation. However, today prison inmates who engage in manual labor are paid wages.” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about Prison System in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia