1. Correctional institutions in canada
Prior to the late 1700’s offenders were punished by hanging, banishment or corporal punishment
They were only held in a local jail to wait for the punishment, not as a form of punishment itself
The penitentiary was introduced as a form of punishment and a place to repent and reform
Originally penitentiaries were a place where offenders could silently meditate and reflect on what they had done
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2. Two penitentiary models
The Pennsylvania system:
Keeps inmates separate from each other. Inmates were not permitted to speak or socialize with one another
The Auburn system:
Permits inmates to work and eat together during the day and return to separate cells at night. Inmates were not permitted to speak or communicate with each other. Most Canadian penitentiaries are based on this system
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3. First canadian penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary
Built on the shores of Lake Ontario in 1835, and based on the Auburn model
It was built to house men, women, and children who were expected to exist in complete silence
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4. First canadian penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary
Corporal punishment was used regularly
Lashings with a ‘cat-o-nine-tails’ – a leather whip
In 1972 corporal punishment was abolished
Kingston Penitentiary will close in 2014
Correctional services in Canada are evolving and are designed to rehabilitate the offender rather than punish
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