The Main Features of the Reforms Passed by the Government in the 19th Century that Affected Prisons

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The Main Features of the Reforms Passed by the Government in the 19th Century that Affected Prisons

As we can see from question one prisons needed serious reform. This is

because the purpose of prison was to hold people until they were hung

or transported therefore no one cared about reforming them. So the

purpose of prisons has to change for the conditions to change. This is

because if the purpose changes from holding prisoners till death to

holding prisoners until there sentence is up people will put more

effort into reforming them so the conditions will get better and the

way to do this is for people like Elizabeth Fry to implement the

changes needed.

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One reformer was John Howard he was a man that came up with ideas to

reform. Howard recommended separation on the grounds that it will help

stop the spread of diseases such as typhus and smallpox. He also said

that each room was to be small and the prisoners were to be separated

so that they could reflect on their crimes and hopefully repent and

turn to God. The men, women, young and old should all be separated

along with hardened offenders to help them to once again to repent. He

also said that debtors and felons should be segregated because these

were separate crimes and he didn't want really bad criminals to

influence the debtors and turn them into worse criminals.

John Howard's was trying to suggest a different purpose for prisons

because they will know longer needed to hold but to rehabilitate

through reflection and God.

Sir George Paul was a Gloucestershire born magistrate and he built his

own pri...

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The final act was that called 'The act of 1877'. This act put the

home-secretary in direct control of prisons. This meant with one

person in control they will all be of the same standard. This will

ensure that all prisons are reformed and turned into better places.

To conclude prisons needed to reform prisons because ultimately the

purpose of prisons was changing with help from reformers such as John

Howard. The purpose was changing from detaining prisoners till death

to trying to reform prisoners into better members of society. The

purpose was changing because there were two hundred fewer offences

that you could be hung for and as transportation ended in 1852 an

alternative form of punishment had to be found. The alternative

punishment was prison of which now prisoners were sent to prison to be

rehabilitated.

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