First, in the 1820s, the United States initiated its penitentiary experiment
(Rothman 1971). Those with even a cursory familiarity with the history of
corrections will recall the competition between the two classic designs for the
penitentiary: the Pennsylvania “solitary” model and the Auburn “congregate”
model. The reformative strategy underlying both these models, however, was
the same. On one hand, insulate inmates—whether through solitary confinement
or silence—from the corrupting influences in society and from associating
with other offenders; on the other hand, reform their spirit and habits
through religious influence and daily labor.