Imprisonment and Social Control Essay - 2946 Words

Imprisonment is one of the primary ways in which social control may be achieved; the Sage Dictionary of Criminology defines social control as a concept used to describe all the ways in which conformity may be achieved. Throughout time imprisonment and its ideas around social control have varied. Imprisonment has not always been used for punishment, nor has it always thought about the prisoners themselves. However when looking at imprisonment it is important to consider the new penology. Therefore, it needs to be clear what the new penology is. The new penology is said, not to be about punishing individuals or about rehabilitating them, but about identifying and managing unruly groups in society. It is concerned with the managerial†¦show more content†¦Throughout the years, the use of imprisonment has varied, along with its influences of society. It is thought that although prisons have been around since the thirteenth century, prisons as we know them now to be have only bee n around for the last three centuries. The first uses of prisons were not seen as a form of punishment instead they were used as a way of making people do something. People would be held in prison until they paid their debts, or awaiting trial and then leading up to their sentence. McGowen (1995) suggests that from the early 1700s ‘bridewells’ a house of correction have existed, however at that time being used merely for vagrants and drunks. At the end of the sixteenth century there was a shift in punishment to imprisonment, along with this came a new, more humane idea of reform. Criminals would spend their days of prison carrying out hard labour. However after the American Revolution, imprisonment took a step back and there was another change. There was mass overcrowding within the prison service and although the death penalty was still being used it was a symbol of the power of the state. Therefore, an everyday way of dealing with offenders would be transportation t o the colonies, being either Australia or America. It was with the work of Beccaria and Bentham that saw a change in imprisonment. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) insisted crime prevention was the only wayShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Angela Y Davis s The Black Panther Party1384 Words   |  6 Pagesof the sixties that radically transformed society, a huge pushback as a response to political liberation was the privatization of prisons which allowed corporations to set motives that increase the prison population, and normalize imprisonment as a way to solve social problems. 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Finally, both Vonnegut and Pollan present their arguments within the broader context of social and political corruption. Imprisonment is presented as an inevitable product of a deeply conflicted, sadistic, and hypocritical society, in which violence serves to perpetuate political hegemony. Pollans The Omnivores Dilemma encompasses a wide range of political, social, and economic issues relatedRead MoreThe philosophy of probation has changed over the past several years. Originally, probation1100 Words   |  5 PagesThe philosophy of probation has changed over the past several years. Originally, probation officers were considered social worker, able to focus on the individual offender, rather than statutory schemes of the legal system. This ideology aligned with the indeterminate sentencing structure that acknowledged individualization of the offender. However, today probation officers have been coined â€Å"the guardian of the guidelines† (Bunzel, 1995, para 2). 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