Case study: Pentonville Prison in the mid nineteenth century 

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Last updated 6:25 PM on 12/28/25
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20 Terms

1
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What was Pentonville Prison?
A prototype prison built in the mid-19th century to trial the separate system
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What was the separate system?
A prison system where prisoners were kept apart from each other as much as possible
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How long were prisoners kept in their cells under the separate system?
Up to 23 hours a day
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Why did reformers believe the separate system would help prisoners reform?
It encouraged religious faith and self-reflection
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How did the separate system prevent further crime inside prison?
It stopped prisoners influencing or corrupting each other
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How was the separate system meant to deter crime?
The harsh isolation was meant to scare people away from committing crimes
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How did the separate system provide retribution?
Prisoners were made to pay for their crimes through isolation and suffering
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What was the layout of Pentonville Prison?
Five wings with a central base for staff
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How many prisoners could Pentonville Prison hold?
520 prisoners
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What were the dimensions of a Pentonville prison cell?
4 metres by 2 metres
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What security features did the cells have?
Small windows with thick glass and iron bars
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What modern technology was included in Pentonville Prison?
Mechanical ventilation and piped water to each cell
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Why were the prison walls built very thick?
To prevent prisoners communicating with each other
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What work did prisoners do in their cells?
Lone work such as oakum picking (cleaning old rope)
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How was communication prevented during exercise?
Prisoners wore face masks while exercising
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How was communication prevented in the chapel?
Prisoners sat in individual cubicles
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What impact did the separate system have on prisoners’ mental health?
High levels of depression, psychosis and suicide
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Who criticised the conditions at Pentonville Prison?
Prison reformers such as Elizabeth Fry
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What was the aim of the 1865 Prisons Act?
To enforce a strict and uniform regime in all prisons
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What did Sir Edmund Du Cane mean by ‘hard labour, hard fare and hard board’?
Hard labour: physically demanding work up to 12 hours a day; Hard fare: bland, boring food; Hard board: wooden board beds instead of hammocks