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The first prison is opened in the United States
The first prison is opened in Pennsylvania it is called Walnut Street Jail. -
the Abolitionist Movement begins
(Late 1700s) -
Walnut Street Jail becomes Esatern State Penitentary
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solitary confinement
"The first experiment in solitary confinement in the United States begins at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia" -
First state abolishes the death penalty
Michigan becomes the first state to abolish the death penalty for all crimes except treason. -
women and men are seperated for the first time
The first statutory provision for separate male and female prison institutions was passed. -
first women's prison is opned
"The first Women’s Prison opened its doors in Indiana . Two types of penal institutions were established for women: the traditional penitentiary model was based on custodial and punitive measures; and the model that emphasized reform was based on the notion of reforming and rehabilitating inmates." -
Period: to
nine states abolish the death penalty
Nine states abolish the death penalty for all crimes or strictly limit it. -
Death penalty cyanide
The use of cyanise gas is intorduced as an execution method -
1930 innmate population
In 1930 there were just over 13,000 inmates -
high levels of executions
Executions reach the highest levels in American history - average 167 per year. -
A prison is opened for the worst criminals
"The federal government opens Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay to house the nation's worst criminals." -
Inmate population in 1940
24,360 inmates -
Period: to
Prisoners right movement begins...
"The Prisoners’ Rights Movement began during this period. Prisoners sought enforcement of their constitutional rights through the writ of habeas corpus and the Civil Rights Act" Many still argue that prisioners do not deserver the treatment they recieve. -
support for capital punishement is low
Support of capital punishment reaches all-time low. A Gallup poll shows support of the death penalty at only 42% -
murder leads to 23 hour lock down
two officers at a Marion Ill prison are killed on the same day. The warden at the time decided to be the first prison to start "permanent lockdown". Inmates are in their cells 23 hours a day. Within a few years other states adopt this lockdown. -
Inmate population
Total population 219,087
breakdown
Inmates By Race
White: 130,414 (59.5 %)
Black: 81,268 (37.1 %)
Native American: 3,974 (1.8 %)
Asian: 3,431 (1.6 %) Inmates By Gender
Male: 204,463 (93.3 %)
Female: 14,624 (6.7 %)
