Account of the Public Prison of Valencia, Calculated to Receive 1,500 Prisoners Averaging 1,000: Yet in Which, During the Last Three Years, There Has Not Been Even One Recommittal, and for the Previous Ten Years the Average Was Only One Per Cent

Alexander Maconochie

ISBN 10: 0461621088 / ISBN 13: 9780461621082

Published by HardPress Publishing, 2018

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Account of the Public Prison of Valencia, Calculated to Receive 1,500 Prisoners Averaging 1,000: Yet in Which, During the Last Three Years, There Has Not Been Even One Recommittal, and for the Previous Ten Years the Average Was Only One Per Cent
• Publisher: HardPress Publishing
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0461621088
• ISBN 13: 9780461621082
• Binding: PAP
• Condition: New
• Weight: 122 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Account Of The Public Prison Of Valencia, Calculated To Receive 1,500 Prisoners Averaging 1,000: Yet In Which, During The Last Three Years, There Has Not Been Even One Recommittal, And For The Previous Ten Years The Average Was Only One Per Cent" by Alexander Maconochie surveys the Valencia public prison and its reform-focused system under Colonel Montesinos. It describes a disciplined, military-style establishment where prisoners select trades from dozens of workshops, work for a share of profits, and are periodically allowed to interact, with education, a hospital, and orderly dormitories. The author notes striking results: no recommittals in three years and about one percent over the prior decade, arguing that work, self-respect, and personal incentives drive reform more effectively than harsh punishment. The pamphlet compares Valencia with English prisons, urging adoption of reformist principles—expanding workshops, linking penalties to conduct, and sustaining prisoners’ opportunities after release. It traces the governor's use of incentives, with profits divided among prisoners and the byproducts allocated to the establishment, and notes the limited reliance on government funding. It details the shop system, the absence of heavy bars, the uniform woolen dress, and the emphasis on education and moral instruction. The account concludes that reform, not merely deterrence, should guide prison policy.