Correctional History Final

Correctional History

What are the various forms of punishment exercised during the 1700’s? Corporal punishment was a major form of punishment used during the 1700’s. This type of punishment involved the infliction of pain. Corporal punishment often took the form of whippings, beating, branding, mutilation, and burning on those who were being punished. Exile as well as death was also punishments used during the 1700’s.

Which criminal activities/events lead to these types of punishment(s)? Mostly these types of punishments were dealt to offenders outside of the community. It was harder for punishment to be handed out in small communities where everyone knew one another. So wonderers or vagrants would often become those who these punishments were carried out, in order to show others the consequences of breaking community codes.

How would you describe prisons for women? How would you compare women’s prisons to those for juveniles and men?

While females make up only about 5% of the total prison population, we have seen a significant increase in female incarceration within the last decade. This is primarily a result of mandatory sentencing guidelines, particularly in the area of drug offenses. From 1986 to 1996 alone, the number of women sentenced to state prison for drug crimes increased from 2,370 to 23,700. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington DC Prisoners in 1997). In addition, in a federal report it was reported that in 1991 32.8% of women in prison were incarcerated for drug offenses. (Women in Prison, Survey of State Prison Inmates, 1991. US Department of Justice, March 1994, NCJ 145321)

It is also noted that the vast majority of offenses where women are incarcerated for are non-violent crimes, with many of those crimes being drug related. As a result of these increases, prisons for females have become more prominent.

A primary difference between female and male prisons is the greater need for medical and health care. In addition to ob-gyn and other female-related medical issues, a significant number of women are having pregnancies and births while incarcerated. Various states have programs that allow the births to occur and provide health services within the facility that allows the inmate to keep their child for up to six months. While they may be some innovative programs on health issues, there are also concerns that there is inadequate reproductive health care, little to no treatment for drug or alcohol abuse, and there is a lack of adequate mental health care.

With female prisons additional checks and balances must be instituted for their safety and protection. There has been a history of sexual assault or abuse at facilities where proper security measures and policies are not in place to ensure the female inmate is not victimized by male