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| What should prisons look like? | What should prisons look like? |
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| By Finlo Rohrer BBC News Magazine | By Finlo Rohrer BBC News Magazine |
| The idea for massive Titan super-prisons to tackle the overcrowding crisis has already caused controversy. But is there any "right" way to design a prison? | The idea for massive Titan super-prisons to tackle the overcrowding crisis has already caused controversy. But is there any "right" way to design a prison? |
| Think of a prison and you probably think of a Victorian prison, brooding Gothic gatehouse in dirty stone with a door-within-a-door opening to spit out furtive convicts. | |
| This stereotypical image is one that many prison reformers would like to end. Replacing these monolithic 19th Century structures with smaller, warmer, friendlier local institutions. Less grim, less Victorian. | This stereotypical image is one that many prison reformers would like to end. Replacing these monolithic 19th Century structures with smaller, warmer, friendlier local institutions. Less grim, less Victorian. |
| And yet the next generation of prisons is to be the Titan, giant super-prisons packed with biometric scanners and other gadgetry. Despite all this new technology, a quick glance at the early plans for the Titans conjure up echoes of their Victorian ancestors. | And yet the next generation of prisons is to be the Titan, giant super-prisons packed with biometric scanners and other gadgetry. Despite all this new technology, a quick glance at the early plans for the Titans conjure up echoes of their Victorian ancestors. |
| The principles for these new jails - which will hold 2,500 people - was set out by Lord Carter in his report into the state and future of the prison service in England and Wales. | The principles for these new jails - which will hold 2,500 people - was set out by Lord Carter in his report into the state and future of the prison service in England and Wales. |
| Dwarfing anything in the current system, a key quality will be "optimal sight lines which would result in better staff utilisation and deliver staff savings". | Dwarfing anything in the current system, a key quality will be "optimal sight lines which would result in better staff utilisation and deliver staff savings". |
| Such a demand harks back to a crucial crossroads in the development of Britain's prisons at the beginning of the 19th Century. | Such a demand harks back to a crucial crossroads in the development of Britain's prisons at the beginning of the 19th Century. |
| "To induce... a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power. So to arrange things that the surveillance is permanent in its effects, even if it is discontinuous in its action; that the perfection of power should tend to render its actual exercise unnecessary." | "To induce... a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power. So to arrange things that the surveillance is permanent in its effects, even if it is discontinuous in its action; that the perfection of power should tend to render its actual exercise unnecessary." |
| This could be a criticism from one of the opponents of Britain's "CCTV society". In fact, it is from French philosopher Michel Foucault's attack on Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon, a landmark concept in the British prison system. | This could be a criticism from one of the opponents of Britain's "CCTV society". In fact, it is from French philosopher Michel Foucault's attack on Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon, a landmark concept in the British prison system. |
| In the Panopticon every prisoner would feel watched | In the Panopticon every prisoner would feel watched |
| The Panopticon was to be a prison that gave the inmates the impression they were being watched at all times. | The Panopticon was to be a prison that gave the inmates the impression they were being watched at all times. |
| A central observation section shrouded in darkness would be surrounded by a ring-shaped building containing the cells. From the centre, the warder would be able to see into any cell to spot signs of trouble of misbehaviour. | A central observation section shrouded in darkness would be surrounded by a ring-shaped building containing the cells. From the centre, the warder would be able to see into any cell to spot signs of trouble of misbehaviour. |
| "The basic principle was that you had one all-seeing eye - that all prisoners would be watched at all times of day and night. That was not entirely feasible. It moved to the notion that all prisoners could expect that they might be being watched," says Philip Steadman, architecture professor at UCL's Bartlett School. | "The basic principle was that you had one all-seeing eye - that all prisoners would be watched at all times of day and night. That was not entirely feasible. It moved to the notion that all prisoners could expect that they might be being watched," says Philip Steadman, architecture professor at UCL's Bartlett School. |
| What the state would end up with would be a "machine to grind rogues honest" at minimal cost, a model prison for the world to see how to reform the worst criminals. | What the state would end up with would be a "machine to grind rogues honest" at minimal cost, a model prison for the world to see how to reform the worst criminals. |
| But practical and political opposition killed Bentham's Panopticon, and instead, Britain had to wait until 1842 for its model prison, Pentonville. | But practical and political opposition killed Bentham's Panopticon, and instead, Britain had to wait until 1842 for its model prison, Pentonville. |
| Inspired by the forbidding Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pentonville contained a revolutionary design concept. The prisoners would be held in cells in long galleries, radiating from a central point. This radial design meant while the chief warder standing at the hub of the "radial" could not see into the cells, he could see the patrolling warders that could. | Inspired by the forbidding Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pentonville contained a revolutionary design concept. The prisoners would be held in cells in long galleries, radiating from a central point. This radial design meant while the chief warder standing at the hub of the "radial" could not see into the cells, he could see the patrolling warders that could. |
| Radial prisons allow easy supervision | Radial prisons allow easy supervision |
| As well as the new design there was a new system of prison discipline: the "separate system", which was inspired by the morass of sexual immorality, gambling and criminal chatter found in jails such as Newgate. | As well as the new design there was a new system of prison discipline: the "separate system", which was inspired by the morass of sexual immorality, gambling and criminal chatter found in jails such as Newgate. |
| At Pentonville and other new prisons, every inmate was kept in solitary confinement for most of the day. Communication with others, even tapping pipes, was strictly forbidden. | At Pentonville and other new prisons, every inmate was kept in solitary confinement for most of the day. Communication with others, even tapping pipes, was strictly forbidden. |
| On visits to the chapel, each prisoner stood in an individual upright box so he remain isolated. Work took the form of walking on a giant treadmill which, in many prisons, served no useful purpose. | On visits to the chapel, each prisoner stood in an individual upright box so he remain isolated. Work took the form of walking on a giant treadmill which, in many prisons, served no useful purpose. |
| Despite the quiet terror of the system, Pentonville, like its descendant the Titan, was designed to contain the very latest technology. There was mechanical ventilation, piped water, and central heating. There was even one primitive toilet to each cell, a feature that was later removed. | Despite the quiet terror of the system, Pentonville, like its descendant the Titan, was designed to contain the very latest technology. There was mechanical ventilation, piped water, and central heating. There was even one primitive toilet to each cell, a feature that was later removed. |
| The adoption of the radial principle at Pentonville sparked dozens of similar jails in Victorian Britain and abroad. More than 150 years later, Pentonville is still in use and its radial principle is echoed in early blueprints for the new Titan design. | The adoption of the radial principle at Pentonville sparked dozens of similar jails in Victorian Britain and abroad. More than 150 years later, Pentonville is still in use and its radial principle is echoed in early blueprints for the new Titan design. |
| Titan prison designEnlarge Image | Titan prison designEnlarge Image |
| Roger Outram, a former warder and governor, says the old Victorian designs have advantages in terms of maintaining order over modern modular buildings. | Roger Outram, a former warder and governor, says the old Victorian designs have advantages in terms of maintaining order over modern modular buildings. |
| "People are going back to the radial notion. There are a lot of crucial design advantages. You can stand in the centre and see the whole radial at one glance from ground to roof. One man can see everything. The minute you put a corner in you need to put two more members of staff. | "People are going back to the radial notion. There are a lot of crucial design advantages. You can stand in the centre and see the whole radial at one glance from ground to roof. One man can see everything. The minute you put a corner in you need to put two more members of staff. |
| "You get a sense of a prison immediately. With one deep breath I can tell exactly what the temperature is. You don't get that with prisons that are modular." | "You get a sense of a prison immediately. With one deep breath I can tell exactly what the temperature is. You don't get that with prisons that are modular." |
| Former Pentonville governor Robert Duncan is sceptical about super-prisons but believes the open plan nature of a Victorian radial jail allows safe contact between prisoners and staff. | Former Pentonville governor Robert Duncan is sceptical about super-prisons but believes the open plan nature of a Victorian radial jail allows safe contact between prisoners and staff. |
| "It makes for an intimate atmosphere because it's open plan. Staff felt safe... a whistle was always very effective. You have got good access to the prisoners." | "It makes for an intimate atmosphere because it's open plan. Staff felt safe... a whistle was always very effective. You have got good access to the prisoners." |
| To Leslie Fairweather, architect and author of Prison Architecture, big prisons with Victorian-style galleries are not a good idea. | To Leslie Fairweather, architect and author of Prison Architecture, big prisons with Victorian-style galleries are not a good idea. |
| Viewers of Porridge are familiar with traditional prison layout | Viewers of Porridge are familiar with traditional prison layout |
| "Things have moved on so far. The idea is smaller group prisons with corridors not great open galleries. The ideas of these huge prisons holding vast numbers is absurd." | "Things have moved on so far. The idea is smaller group prisons with corridors not great open galleries. The ideas of these huge prisons holding vast numbers is absurd." |
| While the radial template ruled for a century, other shapes have since gained popularity. The construction of Blundeston in Suffolk in 1963 marked the British debut of T-shaped blocks. | While the radial template ruled for a century, other shapes have since gained popularity. The construction of Blundeston in Suffolk in 1963 marked the British debut of T-shaped blocks. |
| And in the 1990s America was again the influence as triangular units were introduced at three new prisons, Lancaster Farms, Doncaster and the high-security Woodhill. | And in the 1990s America was again the influence as triangular units were introduced at three new prisons, Lancaster Farms, Doncaster and the high-security Woodhill. |
| In these triangles, two walls would have two tiers of cells spaced along them, while one wall would be largely glass in order to let in as much possible onto a central atrium. | In these triangles, two walls would have two tiers of cells spaced along them, while one wall would be largely glass in order to let in as much possible onto a central atrium. |
| "These triangular designs worked well," says US criminologist Prof Norman Johnston. "They forced the staff to have face-to-face contact. That has a positive effect. It cuts down on rape, it cuts down on trafficking." | "These triangular designs worked well," says US criminologist Prof Norman Johnston. "They forced the staff to have face-to-face contact. That has a positive effect. It cuts down on rape, it cuts down on trafficking." |
| Prisoners at Pentonville wore masks to stop them recognising each other | Prisoners at Pentonville wore masks to stop them recognising each other |
| But ultimately, Mr Outram argues, what design works best depends on the occupants and the purpose. | But ultimately, Mr Outram argues, what design works best depends on the occupants and the purpose. |
| "If you are trying to maintain order and limit the amount of staff then a Victorian prison is ideal. If you are looking for privacy and discrete areas then the Victorian model doesn't work," he says. | "If you are trying to maintain order and limit the amount of staff then a Victorian prison is ideal. If you are looking for privacy and discrete areas then the Victorian model doesn't work," he says. |
| And exactly what a prison is supposed to achieve is a politically charged question that goes back to Victorian times and beyond. | And exactly what a prison is supposed to achieve is a politically charged question that goes back to Victorian times and beyond. |
| It is hard to escape the notion that prisons reflect the politics of the times. Newgate was a chaotic expression of a riotous era, Bentham's Panopticon was about the desire to impose rationality, and Pentonville about offering a dose of morality. | It is hard to escape the notion that prisons reflect the politics of the times. Newgate was a chaotic expression of a riotous era, Bentham's Panopticon was about the desire to impose rationality, and Pentonville about offering a dose of morality. |
| And the uniting factor between the 19th Century and the 21st is the need to watch the prison at a reasonable cost. But no design is yet established as the best. | And the uniting factor between the 19th Century and the 21st is the need to watch the prison at a reasonable cost. But no design is yet established as the best. |
Send us your comments using the form below. | Send us your comments using the form below. |