NCJ Number
10840
Date Published
1973
Length
68 pages
Annotation
HISTORY OF PRISON ARCHITECTURE, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE WAY IN WHICH CHANGING CONCEPTS IN THE PURPOSE OF IMPRISONMENT HAVE INFLUENCED PRISON DESIGN.
Abstract
A SOCIETY'S ATTITUDE TOWARD CRIME AND ITS PUNISHMENT ARE REFLECTED IN THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING IT USES TO DETAIN ITS PRISONERS. THE AUTHOR TRACES THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRISON ARCHITECTURE FROM ITS ANTECEDENTS IN CASTLE AND DUNGEON, THROUGH THE EARLY HOUSES OF CORRECTION AND LOCAL PRISONS, ESPECIALLY IN GREAT BRITAIN. HE FOLLOWS THE RISE OF PENNSYLVANIA AND AUBURN SYSTEMS, CHARACTERIZED AS VERY LARGE, HIGHLY SECURE INSTITUTIONS, TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY TELEPHONE-POLE PRISONS AND THE NEW BREED OF MINIMUM SECURITY FACILITIES. THIS DOCUMENT DISCUSSES SUCH INSTITUTIONS AS THE BASTILLE IN FRANCE, SAN MICHELE IN ROME, AND NEWGATE PRISON IN LONDON. TWO OF THE FIRST FACILITIES TO PROVIDE SEPARATE FACILITIES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF OFFENDERS, THE HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, ENGLAND, AND FRESNES PRISON, NEAR PARIS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. THE HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRISON ARCHITECTURE IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND ILLUSTRATED AND SHOULD PROVE INTERESTING BOTH TO LAYMEN AND THOSE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)