PRISON

WHAT IS A PRISON?

• A penitentiary, an institution for the imprisonment (incarceration) of

persons convicted of major/ serious crimes.

• A building, usually with cells, or other places established for the purpose
of taking safe custody or confinement of criminals.

• A place of confinement for those for those charged with or convicted of

offenses against the laws of the land.
 ORIGIN OF THE WORD PRISON

The word prison has found its roots from the Greco
Roman word, “PRESIDIO” from the word pre means before and
sidio means inside. The coined term presidio is synonymous to a
“fence, cave or dungeon”. The word presidio started in the reign
of King Hammurabi of Babylon in 1729 BC.
 EARLY PRISONS

 Mamertine Prison – the only early Roman place of

confinement which is built under the main sewer of Rome in
64 B.C

 Other places of confinement in the history of confinement

include FORTRESSES, CASTLES, and TOWN GATES that
were strongly built purposely against roving bands of raiders.
 EARLY PRISONS

 The most popular workhouse was the BRIDEWELL

WORKHOUSE (1557) in London which was built for the
employment and housing of English prisoners.

 Walnut Street Jail – originally constructed as a detention jail in

Philadelphia. It was converted into a state prison and became
the first American Penitentiary.
 THE WORLD’S WORST INFAMY
PRISONS

 Bastille Prisons – A fortress prison in Paris, France; Bastille

was a symbol of royal absolutism before the French
revolution in 1370. Originally, it was intended to augment the
cities defense. In 17th century, it was used as prisons were
hundreds of political prisoners were tortured and
executed. The known political leaders who were imprisoned
in Bastille prisons were Voltaire and Marquis de Sade, who
were victims of ruthless persecutions.
 THE WORLD’S WORST INFAMY
PRISONS

 Alcatraz Prison – it is an island in San Francisco bay. It is the

site of infamous prison noted for its inhuman treatment and
tortures. The island was discovered by the Spaniards in 1545
and 1850; it was fortified and used as military prisons. Today
the Alcatraz Prison is open as the Golden Gate National
Recreation area.
 THE WORLD’S WORST INFAMY
PRISONS

 Sachsenhausen Prison – built in 1939 outside the Berlin proper

as Germany’s concentration camps for the dreaded Nazi’s SS
elite force.
 Auschwitz Prison – built by Germans near Cracow Poland, it
was popularly known as the death camp headed by Rudolf
Hoess. More than 2M innocent victims perished either by
torture, mayhem or gas chamber in this famous dreaded
concentration camp.
 THE WORLD’S WORST INFAMY
PRISONS

 Toul Sleng Prison – one of the most notorious prisons in

Cambodia that even humbled the killing field in Battambang
Province. It looks like a mountain-size file of human skull and
bones.

 Insein Prison – situated in Rangoon Burma, now Myanmar.

 EARLY PRISONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

During the Pre-Spanish period, prison system in the

Philippines was tribal in nature. Village chieftains administered it. It was
historically traced from the early written laws.
In 1847, the first Bilibid Prison was constructed and became
the central place of confinement for Filipino Prisoners by virtue of the
Royal decree of the Spanish crown.
In 1936, the City of Manila exchanges its Muntinlupa property
with the Bureau of Prisons originally intended as a site for boys’
training school. Today, the old Bilibid Prison is now being used as the
Manila City Jail, famous as the “May Halique Estate”.