History of Prisoner in Timeline

A prisoner, also referred to as an inmate or detainee, is defined as an individual who has been deprived of their liberty against their will. This deprivation can manifest as confinement within a prison or through physical restraint. The term 'prisoner' is most commonly used to describe someone who is actively serving a sentence within a prison setting.

1940: Publication of "The Prison Community"

In 1940, Donald Clemmer's "The Prison Community" was first published, which is credited as a key text in the founding of ethnographic prison sociology.

The Prison Community (Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology)

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1958: Republishing of "The Prison Community" and publication of "The Society of Captives"

In 1958, Donald Clemmer's "The Prison Community" was republished, and Gresham Sykes' "The Society of Captives" was published. Both books are considered key texts in the founding of ethnographic prison sociology.

The Prison Community (Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology)

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1967: Criminal Law Act

In 1967, the Criminal Law Act 1967, section 1, abolished the distinction between felony and misdemeanor, rendering the term "prisoner" obsolete in its previous legal context.

1992: Prison Security Act

In 1992, section 1 of the Prison Security Act 1992 defined "prisoner" as any person in prison as a result of a court order or legal custody requirement.

1997: Prison education reduces re-incarceration

In 1997, a study focusing on 3,200 prisoners in Maryland, Minnesota, and Ohio, showed that prison education reduced the likelihood of re-incarceration by 29 percent.

2000: Texas Department of Education longitudinal study

In 2000, the Texas Department of Education conducted a longitudinal study of 883 men and women who earned college degrees while incarcerated, finding recidivism rates between 7.8 and 27.2 percent, compared to a system-wide recidivism rate between 40 and 43 percent.

2013: Department of Justice funded study from the RAND Corporation

In 2013, a Department of Justice funded study from the RAND Corporation found that incarcerated individuals who participated in correctional education were 43% less likely to return to prison within 3 years than prisoners who did not participate in such programmes.