Initially, corrections was simply meant to "implement court-prescribed sentences" (p. 3), albeit vague, narrow, and illustrates weakness in corrections. Although now, corrections has evolved into a means of protecting society by the "surveillance and control of offenders," treatment and rehabilitation, and incapacitation during the prison sentence (3).
The Pennsylvania system, otherwise known as the "separate and silence" system, enforced silence among prisoners, not allowing them to see or speak with others. This system was believed to reduce or prevent offenders from becoming "morally contaminated and trained in crime by other prisoners" (19). However, this system was greatly flawed in that it was difficult to keep all prisoners silent,