Evolution of Correctional System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evolution of Correctional System - Essay ExampleIn the States, the subject area clay has witnessed great, interesting changes from the medieval times, to the current super-max prisons. With this in mind, this paper will address the evolution of the rectification system, including a historical overview of different types of corrections and custody levels. The sinful justice system of America is concerned with twain punishment and corrections, however, today America has the highest inmate population in the world. The history of corrections system in America traces back to the European system, which was in England, Holland, and France. America only improved on this system in the way they executed it. In the past, common law comprising set rules offered guidance and helped people in firmness of purpose different social problems. The process of law was under the guidance of judges, as they were responsible for making decisions relating to law. However, as time went by, the colonial system developed their system of criminal justice, which laid the lay downation for the present criminal justice system in America (Gottfredson 11-15). In the 16th and 17th Centuries, there were various correction modes. Most of them were based on public shaming, in order to teach offenders a lesson, and deter others. This memory access was to prevent the recurrence of criminal activity, and included, cutting off ears, the stocks, whipping, ducking stool, and placing people in the pillory. For much wicked crimes such as murder, the criminals faced execution through public hanging. The act of imprisonment was rare in colonial years. However, this later found its way into the American criminal justice system. In prisons, people waited for their audition or punishment, while in detention. All types of criminals were detained together while waiting punishment. However, these prisons were poorly maintained, due to the omission of the prison warders. Most people detained in prisons l ost their lives due to various diseases, such as the fall behind fever. Houses of correction were to serve a purpose of instilling industry habits in offenders through labor in prisons. The people held in these houses were mainly petty(prenominal) offenders, the local disorderly poor, and vagrants. Near the end of the 17th Century, houses of correction were absorbed into the prison system, and put under the control of the local justices of peace (Tonry 12-15). In the 18th Century, some(prenominal) executions of criminals were undertaken. This raised concerns and led to the oppositeness of the death penalty by many people. They suggested that not all offenders found guilty should be subjected to a death penalty, however, only those convicted of serious crimes such as murder, should be executed. This opposition was counter-productive as jurors finally considered executions for petty offenders extreme. They therefore had to look for a much fairer way of punishing petty offenders, o ther than execution. In the mid-18th Century, imprisonment, with hard labor, was decided on as the most appropriate form of punishment for petty offenders (Freeman 77-80). Transportation was the most appropriate method used to dispose convicts. These were transported by ship to the America and other British colonies by ship. This happened until the America War of Independence. However, at the end of the 18th Century, there was curtailing of transportation. This gist that alternative sanctions had to be put in place. These were later