Perry: John Howard's "Prisons in England and Wales"

Noah Fardon

Nov. 4, 2010

Palmer reading (John Howard: Prisons in England and Wales)

Thesis: In his Prisons in England and Wales, John Howard enacted prison reform by presenting the poor living conditions and improper management that produced the terrifyingly weak prison system.

I. Poor conditions (often result of improper management)

a. Sick prisoners

i. Includes small-pox

ii. Diseases frequently contracted from lying on the floor with little to no apparel or straw upon which to sleep.

b. Miserable conditions

c. Hard Labor

d. No food

i. Bridwells

e. No Water

i. Bridwells, Town-Gaols, and Country-gaols

f. Dampness

i. Dampness of the floors in the cells

g. No Sewage

i. “offensive beyond expression”

h. No straw for sleeping

i. Response of prison management: “The county allows no straw; the prisoners have none but at my cost”

i. Is a result of scanty supplies not supportive of life necessities.

i. Bridwells (prison for criminals of the lesser kind)

1. Some prisoners don’t even get any food.

2. Hard work is rarely actually done – the prisoners instead are slothful and profane.

3. Do not uphold the “act” that provides the care necessary for sick prisoners.

j. Confining of prisoners together

i. Destructive of the morals of each prisoner.

II. Improper management

a. Cruelty/Inattention of sheriffs

b. “The county allows no straw; the prisoners have none but at my cost”

c. Bridwells

i. Do not uphold the “act” that provides the care necessary for sick prisoners.