GCSE History Rapid Revision: Crime and Punishment - Prison Reform: John Howard and Elizabeth Fry

Summary

This video covers 19th-century prison reform, highlighting key figures like John Howard and Elizabeth Fry. Initially, prisons were used for awaiting trial, but as the death penalty declined, imprisonment became a punishment in itself. The reformers focused on humane treatment, such as clean conditions, food, and educational programs, aimed at rehabilitation rather than mere punishment. Howard campaigned against debtor imprisonment and for better conditions, while Fry worked to improve conditions for women and children in Newgate Prison. These efforts led to major changes, including the development of model prisons like Pentonville.

Takeaways

• 😀 Before the 1700s, prisons were mostly used to hold people awaiting trial rather than serving as a punishment themselves.
• 😀 The decline of the death penalty and the Bloody Code led to imprisonment becoming a punishment in itself, with a focus on reform.
• 😀 Hard labor in prisons, like treadmills and crank work, was seen as both a punishment and a way to rehabilitate prisoners through the value of hard work.
• 😀 The treadmill was a common form of hard labor where prisoners spent hours performing repetitive tasks with minimal breaks, often walking the equivalent of a mile or two daily.
• 😀 Crank work involved prisoners turning a handle for no productive purpose, intensifying the punishment by making the work feel pointless.
• 😀 Other hard labor jobs, like oak picking and stone breaking, were physically demanding and provided raw materials for public works like boat building and road mending.
• 😀 Mothers in prisons were sometimes allowed to work in nurseries alongside their children, a method aimed at teaching responsibility and rehabilitation.
• 😀 John Howard, a key prison reformer, advocated for humane prison conditions and sought to end the exploitation of prisoners, particularly in terms of paying for their imprisonment.
• 😀 Howard's reforms included clean conditions, adequate food and water, and fair wages for jailers. He believed these measures could lead to better prisoner rehabilitation.
• 😀 Elizabeth Fry, another major reformer, focused on improving conditions for female prisoners, particularly at Newgate Prison, where she campaigned for the separation of women and children from dangerous men.
• 😀 The 19th century saw a shift in the role of prisons, from holding people before trial to serving as a punishment, with an increasing focus on rehabilitation through humane treatment and hard labor.
• 😀 Reformers like Howard and Fry had a lasting impact, leading to government adoption of many of their ideas and the creation of new prisons like Pentonville, based on principles of separate confinement.

Q & A

What was the primary purpose of prisons before the 1700s?

Before the 1700s, prisons were primarily used to hold people awaiting trial. They were not considered a punishment on their own.

How did the decline of the death penalty influence the use of prisons?

The decline of the death penalty and the Bloody Code led to imprisonment being seen as a punishment in itself. Convicted individuals were given a chance to reform through imprisonment.

What role did hard labor play in 19th-century prisons?

Hard labor was used as both a punishment and a form of rehabilitation. It was believed that hard work would help prisoners pay back society and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

What was the treadmill, and how was it used in prisons?

The treadmill was a form of hard labor where prisoners would walk on a rotating wheel for eight hours a day. It was physically demanding and often used as a punishment. Prisoners had no contact with one another while using the treadmill.

What was the crank, and why was it considered a particularly harsh form of punishment?

The crank was a device that prisoners had to turn, but it served no functional purpose. This made it a particularly harsh punishment, as prisoners knew their efforts were futile, and they were often forced to perform thousands of turns without any real result.

How did stone breaking and oak picking serve in the rehabilitation process?

Stone breaking and oak picking were physically demanding tasks, with stone breaking being particularly difficult. These tasks were not just for punishment but also to provide materials for public works, such as boat building and road mending.

What was the role of women and children in prison labor during the 19th century?

In some prisons, mothers were allowed to have their children with them while they worked. This was seen as a way to encourage responsibility and teach mothers how to care for their children while in prison.

What were the key principles advocated by John Howard for prison reform?

John Howard believed in humane treatment for prisoners, which included clean conditions, proper food and water, private cells for reflection, and the payment of jailers' wages by the government rather than by the prisoners.

What specific changes did Elizabeth Fry advocate for regarding women in prison?

Elizabeth Fry campaigned for improved conditions for women in Newgate Prison, including the separation of women and children from dangerous male prisoners. She also promoted education, Bible classes, and better supervision by female warders.

How did the attitudes toward prison reform change in the 19th century?

Attitudes towards prison reform evolved from seeing prisons solely as a place for punishment to viewing them as institutions for rehabilitation. Reforms by activists like Howard and Fry, as well as changes in public attitudes, contributed to this shift.