1. Introduction
The purpose of this report is to investigate the features of the current correctional system within Victoria and the punishment and rehabilitation options that are currently available. The evolution of punishment in Western society will also be inspected, focussing on the origins of confinement, prison design and how the attitudes towards punishment has changed. Oxford dictionary defines punishment as “…the infliction or imposition of a penalty as retribution for an offence.”
2. Key Features of the Current Victorian Correctional System
The Victorian Correctional system is governed and managed by Corrections Victoria, a state government organisation which is a business unit of the Department of Justice & Regulation. Corrections …show more content…
This philosophy on corrections is very different to that of the 19th century which had a heavy focus on corporal and capital punishment. Corporal punishment is defined by Oxford dictionary as “physical punishment, such as caning or flogging.” On the other hand, capital punishment is defined as “the legally authorised killing of someone as punishment for a crime.”
4.1 Origins of Confinement
In the 16th and 17th century, there were no prisons as they are known today. Instead, early ‘prisons’ were used as a temporary holding area for offenders awaiting trial, closer in similarity to today’s jails. However, these old jails held offenders of all ages and with an extensive range of offences, from petty criminals to murderers. (Howard League, 2016) The lack of maintenance and security meant that many prisoners died while in holding from disease or murder.
A major change in prisons in England came in the late 17th century with the first house of correction, ‘Bridewell,’ (Howard League, 2016) which would see imprisonment as its own sentence, rather than temporary holding areas. After this first corrections facility which strived to rehabilitate petty offenders was introduced, it sparked a change in London, with similar institutions beginning operation, however it would take some time for the rehabilitation method to take hold for more serious …show more content…
After much reform thanks to groups such as the Quakers, much of the sentences designed to shame offenders were thought to be outdated and imprisonment quickly replaced sentences for the majority of crimes. However capital punishment was still being used for the most serious offences. (Howard League, 2016). By the end of the 19th century, prisoners had full time paid guards and at least resembled what prisons look like today.
Since Bentham’s panopticon design, more has been done for prisoners’ welfare. In the 1900’s, young offenders were being separated from their adult counterparts and by mid-century, flogging and hard labour were either rarely used or abolished in most places. Prisons today are much more advanced in the treatment of prisoners.
4.2 The Contribution of Prison Design in Development of Offender Management Practices
4.3 Role of Jeremy Bentham in Prison Reform
5. Shifts in Attitude to Punishment of Offenders
In a time when there didn’t exist a law enforcement agency, the public relied on the ‘bloody code’ to condemn offenders. Authorities relied on harsh physical punishment of offenders to deter future offences and to maintain law and order. Since this time, attitudes to punishment has greatly
The purpose of this report is to investigate the features of the current correctional system within Victoria and the punishment and rehabilitation options that are currently available. The evolution of punishment in Western society will also be inspected, focussing on the origins of confinement, prison design and how the attitudes towards punishment has changed. Oxford dictionary defines punishment as “…the infliction or imposition of a penalty as retribution for an offence.”
2. Key Features of the Current Victorian Correctional System
The Victorian Correctional system is governed and managed by Corrections Victoria, a state government organisation which is a business unit of the Department of Justice & Regulation. Corrections …show more content…
This philosophy on corrections is very different to that of the 19th century which had a heavy focus on corporal and capital punishment. Corporal punishment is defined by Oxford dictionary as “physical punishment, such as caning or flogging.” On the other hand, capital punishment is defined as “the legally authorised killing of someone as punishment for a crime.”
4.1 Origins of Confinement
In the 16th and 17th century, there were no prisons as they are known today. Instead, early ‘prisons’ were used as a temporary holding area for offenders awaiting trial, closer in similarity to today’s jails. However, these old jails held offenders of all ages and with an extensive range of offences, from petty criminals to murderers. (Howard League, 2016) The lack of maintenance and security meant that many prisoners died while in holding from disease or murder.
A major change in prisons in England came in the late 17th century with the first house of correction, ‘Bridewell,’ (Howard League, 2016) which would see imprisonment as its own sentence, rather than temporary holding areas. After this first corrections facility which strived to rehabilitate petty offenders was introduced, it sparked a change in London, with similar institutions beginning operation, however it would take some time for the rehabilitation method to take hold for more serious …show more content…
After much reform thanks to groups such as the Quakers, much of the sentences designed to shame offenders were thought to be outdated and imprisonment quickly replaced sentences for the majority of crimes. However capital punishment was still being used for the most serious offences. (Howard League, 2016). By the end of the 19th century, prisoners had full time paid guards and at least resembled what prisons look like today.
Since Bentham’s panopticon design, more has been done for prisoners’ welfare. In the 1900’s, young offenders were being separated from their adult counterparts and by mid-century, flogging and hard labour were either rarely used or abolished in most places. Prisons today are much more advanced in the treatment of prisoners.
4.2 The Contribution of Prison Design in Development of Offender Management Practices
4.3 Role of Jeremy Bentham in Prison Reform
5. Shifts in Attitude to Punishment of Offenders
In a time when there didn’t exist a law enforcement agency, the public relied on the ‘bloody code’ to condemn offenders. Authorities relied on harsh physical punishment of offenders to deter future offences and to maintain law and order. Since this time, attitudes to punishment has greatly