Which prison system emphasized complete isolation to encourage reflection and remorse?

Which prison system emphasized complete isolation to encourage reflection and remorse?

• A. Panopticon
• B. Auburn
• C. Pennsylvania
• D. Eastern Penitentiary

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is the Pennsylvania System, also known as separate confinement. This approach kept prisoners in complete solitary confinement, with little or no contact with others, in order to prompt self-reflection, remorse, and moral reform. The belief was that isolation would force inmates to confront their actions and reform, rather than relying on external punishment or social control. Panopticon is about constant surveillance from a central point—discipline through the possibility of being watched, not through isolation for inner reflection. The Auburn system emphasizes silent, congregate work and interaction during the day, which is the opposite of complete isolation. Eastern Penitentiary is an example that implemented the Pennsylvania System, but the question is asking for the system itself, not a specific institution.

The key idea here is the Pennsylvania System, also known as separate confinement. This approach kept prisoners in complete solitary confinement, with little or no contact with others, in order to prompt self-reflection, remorse, and moral reform. The belief was that isolation would force inmates to confront their actions and reform, rather than relying on external punishment or social control.

Panopticon is about constant surveillance from a central point—discipline through the possibility of being watched, not through isolation for inner reflection. The Auburn system emphasizes silent, congregate work and interaction during the day, which is the opposite of complete isolation. Eastern Penitentiary is an example that implemented the Pennsylvania System, but the question is asking for the system itself, not a specific institution.