| Series |
Cambridge historical studies in American law and society
Cambridge historical studies in American law and society. ^A407614
|
| Abstract |
"At a time when prisons were still new, and nearly every prison in the country followed the same model of confinement, Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary (opened in 1829) was known for its exceptional reliance on long-term solitary confinement. Eastern was criticized for its exceptional reliance on what was seen as an inhumane, expensive, and ineffective approach to confinement. Why did it persist in its deviance? This book traces the process by which Eastern's criticized method of confinement became institutionalized for its administrators. Often working against the opposition of the local penal reformers and state legislature, Eastern's administrators fought both publicly and behind the scenes to maintain their unique approach because of the particular value it offered them. Ultimately, this study retells the history of nineteenth century prison innovation and diffusion from the perspective of those actors most demonized within the penal field. It offers multiple lessons for understanding penal trends, including the way in which anxiety that about significant penal change shapes penal actors' decisions. It also illustrates how organizations, including state-run organizations, can continuously defy legal, penal, and cultural norms in ways standard organizational theories cannot explain"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Source of description | Description based on online resource; title from digital cover page (viewed on January 27, 2021). |
| Issued in other form | Print version: Rubin, Ashley T.. The deviant prison Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2021. 9781108484947 |
| Genre/form | History. |
| LCCN | 2020020526 |
| ISBN | 9781108754095 electronic book |
| ISBN | 1108754090 electronic book |
| ISBN | hardcover |
| ISBN | paperback |
| ISBN | 9781108605878 (electronic bk.) |
| ISBN | 1108605877 (electronic bk.) |
