1726-1790
"With satisfaction I have observed the liberal and humane spirit which engages the public to alleviate the conditions of prisoners."
John Howard was a prison reformer who made great strides in changing English law. He believed in reducing punishments because severe punishments usually served as public spectacles, which only excites compassion for the criminal by the public. Howard’s main criticisms were against the prison system of England. After speaking out about prison reform, Parliament made laws to improve conditions for jailed criminals in 1774. Howard traveled England and Europe to report on prison conditions, which he communicated to Parliament After touring many prisons, he released a report in 1777 called ‘The State of the Prisons" that called for the need to improve the deplorable prison condtions into a more humane environment.Catherine the Great used John Howard to help reform Russia's judicial system.
| Off With Your Head: Philosophy on Crime and Punishment in the 17th and 18th centuries |
| Turning Point: Changes in Criminal Philosophy on Crime and Punishment |
