Blog #15

The first United States Prison opened in 1785. And by 1820 America had 15 prisons. The first groups of women inmates were harbored alongside men in 1825 and by 1839 Mount Pleasant Female Prison opened as an all Female institutions. Early on women were treated as “annoyances” while men were subject to reform. Reform was the goal during the second phase of the US prison system. The penal system aimed to shape the ideal middle class man, while sending women to have way homes for rehabilitation. Women were often mistreated within the early days of the penal system. Raping and beatings by men were commonplace. All and all the average woman inmate was basically neglected, mistreated, and often bludgeoned. Early prisons also had a diverse group of criminals. There were murderer’s, gambler’s, bank robber’s etc. Today one would mostly see non violent drug offenders. These non violent criminals are at times mistreated and put on the same level as that of very violent offenders.

Segregation and gender perception played a role in inmates work as well. Female inmate’s jobs included cooking and cleaning, while men undertook physical labor like construction and railroad work. I find it fascinating that our penal system, much like society has gender specific stereotypes. Law reflects societal perception and this transcends into our justice system.

The Arizona penal system has had a similar following to the prison system of the United States. Yuma, opened the first state penitentiary in which men and women were both prisoners, and it seems gender specific work were given to prisoner’s based on their respective sex. With time reform of the penal system occurred in Arizona and eventually Yuma Territorial Prison closed. Today you will see a similar system to that across the United States. Men and Women have separate penal institutions within Arizona as well as around the rest of the country.