Prison History

Prison History

Introduction to Prison History

Historians note the existence of prisons in ancient Greece and Rome. For example, the Mamertine Prison, constructed in Rome in the 7th century bc, consisted of a vast network of dungeons under the city’s main sewer. These subterranean cells held political dissidents and criminals for short periods of time in cramped, miserable conditions. However, the practice of confining wrongdoers for long periods as a form of punishment was not widespread until after the 15th century.

Until the late Middle Ages (5th to 15th century), wrongs committed against the state and citizens were frequently handled privately under the principle of lex talionis, the law of retaliation. Revenge often involved physical torture and maiming. Governments and religious authorities also used corporal punishment (the infliction of physical pain) on wrongdoers. For many years the most serious criminals were sentenced to death. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, was also common for many trivial offenses.

Colonists in North America patterned their forms of punishment on those used in Europe. They used the death penalty freely, executing numerous criminals for a wide spectrum of offenses. The colonists also utilized a variety of corporal punishments, such as branding and whipping. In 1632 the Massachusetts Bay Colony constructed the colony’s first jail, a simple wooden building designed to house small numbers of criminals.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

Guide to Prison History


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