What was Bentham's panopticon? A computer model

Summary

The panopticon, conceived by philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1787, is a prison design centered around surveillance and control. Its circular layout, with cells stacked over six floors, is designed to create an environment where prisoners are always observed but never know when they are being watched. Guards monitor multiple floors from surveillance corridors, while prisoners must constantly behave as if under scrutiny. This design, intended for efficiency and discipline, has influenced over 300 prisons worldwide. Bentham believed the panopticon could be applied to any institution, making it a model of perpetual surveillance and power.

Takeaways

• 😀 The panopticon is a model for an ideal prison, designed by Jeremy Bentham in 1787.
• 😀 Over 300 prisons around the world are based on the panopticon design.
• 😀 The panopticon features a central circular design with a diameter of 100 feet.
• 😀 Cells in the panopticon are arranged around the perimeter and are 9 feet deep and 48 per floor.
• 😀 Each cell is equipped with a bed, toilet, and space to work.
• 😀 The cells rise up to six floors, with surveillance corridors on every other floor.
• 😀 Guards in the surveillance corridors can observe prisoners but are unseen by them.
• 😀 Prisoners must behave as if they are always being watched, even though they do not know when.
• 😀 The panopticon includes a central auditorium where prisoners may gather for lectures.
• 😀 The chapel in the panopticon is separated by a wall of screens and is also hidden from the prisoners' view.
• 😀 Spiral staircases and a glass and iron frame rise through the space, completing the architectural structure of the panopticon.

Q & A

What is the panopticon and who designed it?

The panopticon is a prison design proposed by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1787. It is characterized by a circular structure that allows a single guard to observe all prisoners without them knowing when they are being watched.

How many prisons around the world follow the panopticon model?

Over 300 prisons around the world follow the panopticon model.

What are the key structural elements of the panopticon design?

The panopticon design includes a circle with a diameter of 100 feet, surrounded by cells. Each cell is 9 feet deep, and there are six floors of cells, with an additional surveillance corridor on every other floor.

What is the purpose of the surveillance corridors in the panopticon?

The surveillance corridors allow a guard to monitor two floors of prisoners at once, ensuring constant surveillance, although the prisoners cannot see the guard and do not know when they are being watched.

How does the panopticon force prisoners to behave?

Because prisoners do not know when they are being observed, they must act as if they are always under surveillance, which leads to self-regulation of their behavior.

What is located in the center of the panopticon design?

In the center of the panopticon, there is an auditorium where prisoners may gather to be lectured, and a chapel surrounded by a wall of screens that separates them from the rest of the space.

What is the significance of the wall of screens surrounding the chapel?

The wall of screens serves to isolate the prisoners from the chapel and prevents them from seeing each other or the activities inside, further enhancing the sense of separation and control.

What role do the spiral staircases play in the panopticon?

The spiral staircases allow movement throughout the panopticon, connecting different levels and contributing to the open, continuous surveillance structure.

How does the iron and glass frame contribute to the design of the panopticon?

The iron and glass frame rises through the space and arches over the chapel, providing structural support and reinforcing the openness of the design while maintaining control over the space.

What is Jeremy Bentham's vision for the applicability of the panopticon?

Jeremy Bentham believed that the panopticon could be applied universally to all types of establishments, not just prisons, as a model for control and surveillance in any institutional setting.