John Howard Prison Reform Summary

John Howard was an English high sheriff who was so appalled by jail conditions that he undertook a crusade to improve places of detention. He found no separation of women and men, of felons from misdemeanants, boys from adults, or debtors from murderers. Many prisoners were forced to pay for their food, bedding, and other services. Undersheriffs took bribes, favors, and profits often detrimental to prisoners. The prisons had no running water and dust and straw on the floors. Even after being declared innocent, the prisoner could not leave confinement until the jailer was paid for all charges. Howard had given little thought to prisons or prison reform until he was appointed sheriff of Befordshire in 1773. Upon seeing these deplorable conditions, he suggested reforms in his State of Prisons and in 1779 passed the Penitentiary Act providing four principles for reform.

Howard began an international tour of cells, dungeons, and torture centers; he also interviewed staff, prisoners, and jailers. In his findings, France, Holland, Ukraine and Russia were the best representation of his four principles. The first facility in England specifically designed to implement these reforms was the Gaol at Wymondham. The Penitentiary Act simply laid down purposes and routines of imprisonment. Though these principles were lofty and difficult to implement a lot of the time, he was determined to reform prisons for the betterment of the prisoners and staff. Howard wanted a tough regime but living conditions to be healthy enough to reduce illness and allow the prisoners to still contain their constitutional rights as human