What was the Auburn System?
The Auburn system, named after the Auburn prison in New York, was a variation on the Quaker-run Pennsylvania penitentiaries of the 19th century. Combining hard labor with solitary confinement, the prison system sought to rehabilitate criminals while using them to offset the expenses of running a jail. While many of the brutal disciplinary practices used in the Auburn system have been replaced, its foundations remain the model for many prisons throughout the world. Until the late 18th century, jails in America were typically used for confinement prior to trials and sentencing. Most punishments were either execution, or public penance of some kind, such as whipping. The idea of using jails as a criminal punishment was popularized by the Quakers of Pennsylvania, who disapproved of the constant executions due to their religious beliefs. In the Quaker system, prisoners were kept in total silence and solitary confinement for the duration of their sentence. The goal was to reform people who h
