A detailed plan for a city jail that blends labor, reform, and self-support.
This book presents a committee’s proposal for organizing and running the Philadelphia House of Correction and Employment. It explains why a work-focused approach aims to improve discipline, instruction, and outcomes for inmates while addressing public needs.
The text surveys supporting evidence from other cities, outlines the envisioned classes of inmates, and discusses anticipated costs, site options, and governance. It also highlights core reforms—employment, moral instruction, physical comfort, and disciplined control—as essential parts of the proposed system.
- How the plan organizes inmates into vagrant, pauper, and other groups to tailor labor and reform.
- The role of employment and skilled work in building self‑reliance and reducing recidivism.
- Guidance on building design, housing, diet, clothing, and health to support reform.
- Legal and funding considerations, including site selection and governance structure.
Ideal for readers of municipal reform, 19th‑century public policy, and history of correction systems, this edition helps you understand a pivotal attempt to modernize social care and crime prevention in Philadelphia.