Development of American Corrections

Development of American Corrections Following the Revolutionary War, a new penal system started to develop. Reformers took the opportunity to try to establish a more humane and humanistic approach to punishment. Two distinct systems developed as a result which we have already discussed at length. Historians have noted that the Reform Movement had its beginnings in about 1870. During the mid 1800s, prison reformers reached the conclusion that the penitentiary model was not operating effectively. Rehabilitation and deterrence goals were not being met. Research indicated that the penitentiaries in existence were overcrowded, understaffed, and brutality toward the inmates was the general rule. The New York Prison Association began a survey of prisons nationwide in 1865 which found that reformation was not the main goal. A meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1870 was held with penal experts. The gathering developed a declaration of principles which included the need to classify inmates, use indeterminate sentencing, and to emphasize rehabilitation. The goal was the reformation of inmates. The reform movement resulted in the establishment of the nation’s first reformatory in Elmira, New York. Under the supervision of Zebulon Brockway, there was an emphasis on education and training as a means of helping inmates understand the reasons for their criminal behavior. Brockway established a system of classification, indeterminate sentencing, and parole. Obviously, the goals of the prison reformers had a significant impact upon the development of the corrections system in use today by introducing the radical concepts of classification, rehabilitation, indeterminate sentences, parole, and education. Progressive Era (1890 – 1930) , During this period of history for corrections the system in use was greatly influenced by the dramatic changes taking place in the social makeup of the country. American society was being transformed by several factors including technological and scientific advancements, industrialization, and urbanization. On the political landscape upper class philanthropists, commonly called progressives, came to believe that they could solve most social problems, including crime. Progressives believed that criminal behavior could be rehabilitated through individual treatment. The approach of the progressives was heavily influenced by the positivist school of criminology, The progressives wanted to advance their belief that by improving the living conditions in some city areas where the crime rate was high and rehabilitating offenders, the crime rate would be reduced, if not eliminated. They attempted to achieve their goals through political action which included strategies for better public health, education and public housing. History shows that by the 1920, progressives achieved the goals of implementing probation as an alternative to incarceration, indeterminate sentencing, parole, and juvenile courts. Medical Model (1930 – 1960) . This model is also based upon the progressive movement and is believed to have been implemented in the 1930s. It is significant because it bridges the time before America’s entry into WWII and corrections after WWII. The medical model of corrections followed the belief that social, psychological, or biological deficiencies requiring treatment caused criminal