ESSAY: Pennsylvania System and use of Solitary Confinement

Discuss the Pennsylvania system and its impact on the current penal system.
Explore how the use of solitary confinement and the rules of it’s use have shifted over time.
What is the legal impact of abuse?

ANSWER

Pennsylvania System and use of Solitary Confinement

The Pennsylvania System and its Impact

The Pennsylvania system was advocated by the Philadelphia society, and its mandate was to alleviate the miseries existing in public prisons. Most of the members of the society were Quakers. The application for what was referred to as the separate philosophy was made in 1829 (Steiner, Ellison, Butler & Cain, 2017). The system is formed in the presumption of a penal method that is based on the principle that solitary confinement is the best way to foster penitence and eventually realize reformation. In this system, prisoners are expected to have minimal or no contact as they live in their single cells (Azemi, 2019). The system is also dominated by strict measures that ensure adherence to control of …

In the system, the confinement cells were strict to be nearly 12 feet in length and close to 8 feet wide. An exercise yard was to be completely closed as prisoners were to interact with no one other than prison officers and probably a visit occasionally. In later times, the solitary cells were modified to accommodate some skills such as weaving and shoemaking. The spread of the system …

The Pennsylvania system had many notable impacts. Firstly, some critics argued that it was very costly and also possessed unimaginable effects on the minds of prisoners. The system was some torture to the prisoners as they didn’t have any form of freedom. However, confining prisoners in cells gave prisoners time to think and eventually apologize and reform from the kind of bad behavior they were undertaking (Wacquant, 2016). The work programs were also helpful as the prisoners could leave the facility with a skill that makes them meaningful in life. Even though some opponents saw confinement as a way of breaking the social norm that is important to …

Lastly, the most significant impact is that the system resulted in the many reforms in prison settings. There was a review of major prisons, especially regarding social transformation practices. It is because of the outcomes from the system that the Auburn ….

How the use of solitary confinement has changed over time Solitary confinement is no longer a disciplinary tool in US prisons. At least in law. Many changes have happened since the system came into place. The practice was used for a long time until the Auburn system was introduced. Guidelines for the treatment of prisoners have been changing from time to time, and in 2015, the UN prohibited the use of solitary confinement for at least 15 consecutive days (Burrell & Song, 2019). The changes have, however, been advocated by individual prisons who..