debtors coddled?

Question

Old debtors prisons?
did they beat or whip debtors in prison in the old days? do you think debt collectors would like to whip us today if they were allowed

Answer 1

Whew...this was interesting research. Personally, I always felt that through time, we felt obligated to clean up the prison world and it gave one the mind to think that perhaps this needed to happen because some prisoners were being treated unfairly. It seemed that today's standards show the population so concerned about prison rights that I heard in Germany, that if someone is given opportunity to freedom before ones prison term is up, he is allowed to remain and not go back out into society. This is because treatment incarcerated is better than living/working in the community. In the U.S., I think the repeat offenders do so because they have security in prison; whereas before...being in jail was often a short term "life" sentence due to the facility one was in and how one was treated.

"Discipline and order shall be maintained with firmness, but with no more restriction than is necessary for safe custody and well-ordered community life." Now, we see these kind of guidelines in prison books - there will be discipline but with safe custody in mind.

If you look at the last link, civil war times seem to be one starting point where someone determined it was necessary to be cruel to those imprisoned. Certainly not what we see on Bonanza or in any episode with Marshall Dillon.

I am sure there are those who would like to "beat" prisoners that are unruly if they were allowed. Some of the caretakers in a prison feel that these are the scum of the earth, especially specific criminals who have taken advantage of children. Yes, given the opportunity, you bet they would "beat" someone.

I think it is part of their organized "insider" victimization that is at work too; for the Jeffrey Dame's of the world. Some of the bad and ugly have to be taken care of in prison, I'm sure - some way or another (before the judicial system finds a scapegoat and the person ends up back on the street).