| Prisons systems serve an important role in ensuring | | | | motivating spirit of the founders of these places was |
| citizens of their right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit | | | | humane treatment of prisoners. These founders also |
| of happiness, by imprisoning those in society that | | | | championed the benefits of prisons, and other like |
| have behavioral problems. Prisons also protect those | | | | institutions to both the occupants of the institution |
| who break the law from mob rule, also sometimes | | | | and society as a whole. |
| called mob justice. Clearly, this makes prisons an | | | | While many of the early prisons were anything but |
| indispensable fixture of our society. | | | | humane, the idea of centralized prisons was correct |
| Prior to the reform movement there were not | | | | in my opinion. I think criminals have to be removed |
| prisons in America as we traditionally think of them | | | | from society both as a means of punishing the |
| today. Most criminals were punished by lashings, | | | | criminal, in addition to protecting society from further |
| whipping, execution, or other forms of frontier | | | | acts of criminality. |
| justice. In my opinion, this type of "justice" violated a | | | | American prisons have themselves been reformed |
| persons Fifth Amendment rights. | | | | many times throughout history to help make them |
| Reformers were the first in this country to argue in | | | | better at housing inmates, rehabilitating inmates, and |
| favor of institutions for those with mental or | | | | trying to rid prisons of corruption. While there is still |
| behavioral problems. A result of those efforts was a | | | | room for improvement based on reports and studies |
| growing and thriving prison system in America during | | | | conducted into prisoner abuse, financial abuse, etc, |
| the 1800's. Mark C. Carnes and John A. Garraty state | | | | overall in my opinion prisons serve a vital role in |
| in their book, The American Nation, that the | | | | helping to keep America safe. |