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Reconstruct The Penal System In The 1830's

626 Words3 Pages

Asylums for the “Insane” In the 1830’s to 1840’s there was a pursuit by activists to reconstruct the penal system in the United States. These activists advocated for prison reform towards the treatment of incarcerated poor and mentally insane populations. During this time, prisons were used to contain criminals as well as certain Americans deemed undesirable members of society. The prison reform activist believe there should be some type of instructional rehabilitation offered to the prisoners instead of confinement. Their argument was based upon the theory that most criminal turned to a life of crime due to inadequate parental involvement and improper living conditions. The activists believed through proper care and instruction criminals could overcome their trouble childhoods and effectively eliminates their violent and depraved tendencies. Many activists felt that the inadequate resources available to the …show more content…

One such person was Mrs. Dorothea Dix. Mrs. Dix, a Massachusetts schoolteacher, visited a local jail to teach Sunday school services and was appalled at what she saw. The deplorable conditions that inmates were living in along with children who were locked away with adults caused Mrs. Dix to wonder if all jails were managed the same way. Mrs. Dix visited numerous other jails and found the living conditions just as bad. Local criminals and harden criminals were chained along with individuals who were mentally insane. Treatment for the mentally insane in those prisons was non-existent. These individuals were locked away and used as entertainment for the public. Mrs. Dix was inspired to push for prison reform on behalf of the mentally insane and the poor. She sent a letter to the Massachusetts State Legislature and argued that the construction of insane asylums for the mentally ill was not just a necessity but a right entitled to these

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