Contested political debates, regarding prison reform, date back to the early 1890s. During the following century and to date, considerable progress occurred towards a more fair and just prison system, however, not at a steady and consistent pace. Progress in prison reformed greatly slowed in the years following the 1890s and prison conditions declined during the 1940s (Sullivan), leading to countless prison revolts and lawsuits. For instance, in the 1950s, prisoners rebelled and fought back against the harsh living conditions and unfair treatment following the steady decline in prison conditions. These original prison reform movements laid the crucial framework for our modern prison reform movement based around the ideas associated with