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Architectural Flaws of the Tombs Prison
by David Marin Quiros Image: The Tombs: 1926[1] In 1902, Manhattan welcomed their back prisoners to a newly designed city prison, colloquially called “The Tombs.” The previous structure was torn down after decades of poor conditions as seen by its lack of ventilation and massive overcrowding. Its former Egyptian revival style mimicked a mausoleum,[2] […]
Prison Organizing against Cruel Women’s Conditions
by Stephanie Green Great Speckled Bird page 1 1751560_19750710_0013 (1) page 2 Source: Great Speckled Bird, Vol 8, Issue 28, July 10, 1975 My primary source [1] describes a 1975 peaceful protest to eventual riot outside of North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women. This prison is the only women’s prison in North Carolina and held […]
Analyzing the “Australian Mission”
by Nia Williams Image: “Australian Mission” Film is a vital primary resource because it has the ability to capture power, which is central to the study of incarceration. Power, being the structure that propels colonization and racial capitalism, is essential to understanding 20th century Australia’s forced separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families by […]
The Rise of Prisoners’ Unions in the 20th Century
by Chirag Bellani Image: “Support Jackson Prisoners’ Self-Determination Union!!”[1] The 1970s was a period in which prisoners demanded better treatment and sought, through a series of strikes and movements across the country, access to their civil and judicial rights. As Dan Berger writes in his book Captive Nation: Black […]
Penal Sentencing and the Latino Juvenile Offender
by Taylor Huie Source: “Latinos in the Juvenile Justice: Youth Crime, but Adult Time”[1] Written by Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute fellow Angela Medina in 2001, the article shown above was published by El Editor, a weekly bilingual English and Spanish newspaper based in Midland-Odessa, Texas.[2] This article details the effect of “tough-on-crime” legislation on rulings […]
Union Prison Camp during the American Civil War
by Kevin Repice Image: Reminiscences Of The War Of The Rebellion 1861-1865, 305-06[1] This document was created by Bvt. Maj. Jacob Roemer during his time as a Union soldier during the American Civil War from 1861-1865. The source was edited by L.A. Furney, most likely sometime before Roemer’s death in 1896. However, this person is […]
Society and the Penal System in 18th Century Scotland
by Malenie Reyes Source: “Law Intelligence”[1] “Law Intelligence” is an article written by an unnamed editor for the Aberdeen Journal in February of 1798. As the name suggests, the location of publication of this newspaper is Aberdeen, Scotland. Newspapers dominated print culture in Great Britain in the 18th century[2], allowing them to become the best […]
Convict Leasing and Racial Capitalism
by Genoveva Ntirugelegwa Juvenile convicts at work in the fields[1] While we have dissected prison in many different time periods and forms throughout this course, convict leasing is a part of prison history that I have become increasingly interested in. Convict leasing developed throughout the South immediately after the Civil War. In Sarah Haley’s […]
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