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The Evolution of Punishment and Incarceration

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Ethical Issues in Prison Psychiatry

Part of the book series: International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine ((LIME,volume 46))

Abstract

The birth of jails preceded that of prisons, both of which primarily served a socio-utilitarian purpose. Historically, they go back to ancient times, appearing around 3,000–4,000 years ago. Their evolution goes pari passu with social changes, such as population growth, the establishment of towns and cities, property ownership rights, the agrarian and industrial revolutions, and the urbanization movement. At the same time, legal systems evolved.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In the United States there are both jails and prisons. Jails are generally under the jurisdiction of local authorities (cities and counties) and prisons are under the jurisdiction of state or federal authorities (Palermo and White 1998). Jails house people awaiting trial and those sentenced for a short period of time, usually less than 1 year. Prisons house those convicted of major crimes and sentenced for longer periods. The federal prisons are run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and hold persons who have committed federal crimes (e.g., mail fraud, kidnapping, tax evasion).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nevada School of Medicine and Medical College of Wisconsin, 2169 Silent Echoes Drive, Henderson, NV, 89044, USA

    George B. Palermo (Clinical Professor of Psychiatry)

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  1. George B. Palermo
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Correspondence to George B. Palermo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forensic Psychiatry Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Norbert Konrad

  2. Section of Forensic Psychiatry, Division, University of Nottingham and Rampton Hos, Nottingham, United Kingdom

    Birgit Völlm

  3. University of Montreal Fac. Medicine, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    David N. Weisstub

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Palermo, G.B. (2013). The Evolution of Punishment and Incarceration. In: Konrad, N., Völlm, B., Weisstub, D. (eds) Ethical Issues in Prison Psychiatry. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 46. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0086-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0086-4_4

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