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Federal Prison System

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Federal Prison System
The Federal
Prison System

Jesse Vohler
12-3 Smith
Essay
24 Oct. 2011
Jesse Vohler
12-3 Smith
24 October 2011
Federal Prison System Essay

The Federal Prison System Throughout history, the Federal Prison System has changed over the centuries. From hanging to lethal injections, the purpose of the prison system still remains the same. It holds as a chamber for those who have done wrong and break the law. Turning into a home for most inmates, death row would seem like the only way out. As the system keeps changing to this day, people of all ages will still shutter in the sound of the judge replying, “Guilty” and knowing how miserable their next memories will be in that cave they call ‘prison’. Two centuries ago, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania became the center of prison reform worldwide. The penalty of death was applied for murder, denying ‘the true God’, homosexual acts and kidnapping. Severe physical punishments were used for what were considered lesser crimes. As late as 1780, punishments such as the pillory and hanging were carried out in public.
An execution that year included two prisoners who were taken out amidst a crowd of spectators, walking after a cart in which two coffins and a ladder were toted in. Each had a rope about his neck and their arms were tied behind them. They were both hanged in the commons of the city
Philadelphia (Johnston). Because of the rapidly growing population, a new jail was begun in 1773 on Walnut
Street. The new prison had the traditional layout of large rooms for the inmates. Prisoners awaiting trial might barter their clothes for liquor or be forcibly stripped upon entering by other inmates seeking funds for the bar. The result was great suffering when the weather turned cold. It was also considered a common practice for certain women to arrange to get arrested to gain access to the male prisoners (Johnston). The first great advance of the prison system in America was the



Cited: Movement. Sifakis, Carl. “Debs, Eugene V.” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Movement. Sifakis, Carl. “Keyes, Asa.” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Movement. Sifakis, Carl. “Visiting Prisoners.” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Movement. Sifakis, Carl. “Women’s Prisons” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Sifakis, Carl. “AIDs” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Sifakis, Carl. “Community Service.” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Sifakis, Carl. “Electric Chair.” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Sifakis, Carl. “Shooting.” The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2003 Yang, Peter. “Visiting Weezy.” Rolling Stone. 14 Oct. 2010: 60. Print.

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