ABSTRACT
Prisons evolved along with law and have existed since at least the time of ancient Athens. In the United States, which currently has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, psychology—though its most famous twentieth-century experiments involved simulations of punishment delivery and imprisonment—has not evolved a consistent or subtle theory of punishment. Extreme variations exist between regions and cultures in the style and frequency of prison punishment. Consideration of prison issues must rely on the testimony of past and current prisoners, family members, prison staff members and administrators, and other interested individuals. Begin by examining the data available for prisons worldwide on the World Prison Brief website. Michelle Jones’s rehabilitation was complete, and her academic work in prison qualified her for admission to Harvard University, which rejected her, demonstrating the US cultural belief in crime as a permanent moral stain.
