The Modern Prison

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, during the nineteenth century, the modern prison began to form and how the death penalty was seen as inappropriate for many crimes and as such the state prison was offered as an alternative. It looks at how, as the twentieth century progressed, prison became the overall accepted method of dealing with criminals and extensions of the prison system came to include borstals and open prisons.


Outline:
History of the Modern Prison
The reason for Prison in Society
Overcrowding in Prison
Life in Prison
Masculinity and Crime
Dynamics of Conflict Fear and Power
Treatment of Inmates
The lack of Emotional Facilities and Training
Suicide in Prison
The Rights of the Prisoner

From the Paper:

"From its earliest conception, prison has been seen as a method of punishing those who commit crime (Walker, 1968). This formed the foundation of theoretical thinking on the subject. However, during the twentieth century many thinkers called this fundamental way of thinking into doubt by placing added onus on the issue of rehabilitation (Walker, 1968). However, it has been realised that in order to successfully rehabilitate those incarcerated for a crime, it is necessary to fully understand the role violence plays in prison life. Moreover, it has been categorically shown that there exists a clear and definable link between prison-based violence and masculinity (Schultz, 2007). The primary problem is that there exists a peculiar contradiction within the prison system. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cavadino, Michael et al. "The Penal System". London: Sage, 2002.
• Collier, Richard. "Masculinity, Crime and Criminology" London: Sage, 1998.
• Cooke, Pamela et al. "Physcology in Prisons" London: Routledge, 1993.
• Etzioni Amitai. "The Responsive Community" American Sociological Review, 1968.
• Garland, David. "Justice, Guilt and Forgiveness in the Penal System". Edinburgh, Edinburgh University, 1990.

More papers on The Modern Prison:

• Persuasive Essay # 146483 : "The Pressure on Corrections Officers"
• Essay # 66821 : "The Birth of Europe's Punishment System"
• Essay # 63833 : "Modern Times"

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