Journal of prison discipline and philanthropy, 1845-1920.

Format:

Book

Series:

Crime, Punishment, and Popular Culture, 1790-1920.

Crime, Punishment, and Popular Culture, 1790-1920

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons.

Pennsylvania Prison Society.

Prisons--Pennsylvania.

Prisons.

Charities.

Pennsylvania.

Charities--Pennsylvania.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (71 monographs (9,687 pages)) : illustrations.

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1845-1920.

System Details:

text file

Summary:

The collection of the Journal of prison discipline and philanthropy contains the journal and records of the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, which later changed its name to the Pennsylvania Prison Society. The original Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons was founded in 1787 by a small group of enlightened Philadelphia citizens, including Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Benjamin Rush, with the aim of ending the suffering of inmates in the city jail. In 1845, with a strong record of prison reform already behind it, the Society established the Journal of Prison Discipline and Philanthropy to inform the public about issues related to the treatment of prisoners. These journals present evolving theories of crime and punishment and provide real-world accounts of prison conditions via case studies, letters from prisoners, and jail visits made by members. The journals discuss the treatment of women, juveniles, children, and the insane. They analyze issues such as separate cells for prisoners, the death penalty, the jury system, solitary confinement, convict labor, prison writing programs, country life and farming, shortened sentences for good behavior, and planning for a prisoner's reentry to society upon discharge. They also delve into legal and social issues, such as the causes of crime and the possibility of reform. Members discuss the theories of British prison reformers John Howard and Mary Carpenter and analyze the Irish, Russian, and Belgian prison systems. The journals also contain members' notes on prison conferences and visits to prisons around the United States and in Canada. The collection also contains membership lists, lists of officers and committees, obituaries of notable members, lists of donors, treasurers' reports, and the organization's new constitution and certificate of incorporation upon its name change in 1887. Later issues present photographs of the organization's offices and some of its prominent members, as well as photos of prison buildings of the era.

Notes:

Date range of documents: 1945-1920.

Source institution: Primary Source Media.

Local Notes:

Images from the source libraries are selected contents of the original collection materials as representative of their value and pertinence to the digital product.

OCLC:

937021580

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.