Local prison reform in Great Britain in the late 18th century

Abstract

In the article the author considered and analyzed the reasons and stages of local prison reform in Great Britain at the end of 18th century. The author defined the regulatory, regime and management framework for prisons and county correctional houses. English lawyers, philosophers, philanthropists laid the theoretical foundations for a large-scale prison reform. The Penitentiary Act 1779 became the normative basis. The starting point of the reform was the adoption of the Prison Act 1774. The formation of penitentiary houses for people sentenced to transportation and the reform of local prisons and correctional houses were key movements in the British penal system in the 70-90s. This was what influenced the development of Britain's prison system and, later on, the penitentiary systems of countries around the world.

In 80-90s of the 18th century in England began a real prison building boom: more than fifty new prisons and correctional houses were built. The newly built institutions continued to be traditionally called county gaol, bridewell or house of correction, but they differed significantly from the corresponding places of detention, which appeared in the Middle Ages. Since they were organized according to completely different principles: separation of different categories of prisoners (women and men, those under investigation, those convicted of serious crimes, petty criminals, debtors), stay outside working hours in separate cells (mostly single), work of convicts, training in crafts, strict discipline and hygiene, necessarily religious guardianship, system of disciplinary sanctions and benefits, staff requirements, control and supervision by judges.