The Missouri State Penitentiary

The Missouri State Penitentiary PDF Author: Jamie Pamela Rasmussen
Publisher: University of Missouri Press
ISBN: 0826272878
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 137

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Book Description
Asked how the Missouri State Penitentiary compared to other famous prisons, a historian and former prison administrator replied, “ It’s older and meaner.” For 168 years, it was everything other prisons were and more. In The Missouri State Penitentiary, Jamie Pamela Rasmussen recounts the long and fascinating history of the place, focusing on the stories of inmates and the struggles by prison officials to provide opportunities for reform while keeping costs down. Tales of prominent prisoners, including Pretty Boy Floyd, Sonny Liston, and James Earl Ray, provide intrigue and insight into the institution’s infamous reputation. The founding of the penitentiary helped solidify Jefferson City’s position as the state capital. A highlight in the chapter on the Civil War years is the story of George Thompson, who was imprisoned for attempting to help a number of slaves to freedom. The narrative enters the twentieth century with the controversy surrounding the various systems of inmate labor; the effort to make the prison self-supporting eventually caused punishment to be driven by factory needs. The example of Firebug Johnson demonstrates how inmates reacted to the prison labor system while Kate Richards O’Hare’s struggles and efforts to improve conditions in the penitentiary illuminate the role of women in the system at the time. A full chapter is devoted to the riot of 1954, and another concentrates on the reforms made in the wake of that catastrophe. Rasmussen also considers the effect inmate lawsuits during the 1980s and 1990s had on prison life before telling the story of the decision to close the prison. The Missouri State Penitentiary provides a fitting account of an institution that was part of Missouri’s history for well over a century. Numerous illustrations and a list of recommended reading contribute to the readers’ understanding of the history of the institution.

The Missouri State Penitentiary

The Missouri State Penitentiary PDF Author: Jamie Pamela Rasmussen
Publisher: University of Missouri Press
ISBN: 0826272878
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 137

Get Book Here

Book Description
Asked how the Missouri State Penitentiary compared to other famous prisons, a historian and former prison administrator replied, “ It’s older and meaner.” For 168 years, it was everything other prisons were and more. In The Missouri State Penitentiary, Jamie Pamela Rasmussen recounts the long and fascinating history of the place, focusing on the stories of inmates and the struggles by prison officials to provide opportunities for reform while keeping costs down. Tales of prominent prisoners, including Pretty Boy Floyd, Sonny Liston, and James Earl Ray, provide intrigue and insight into the institution’s infamous reputation. The founding of the penitentiary helped solidify Jefferson City’s position as the state capital. A highlight in the chapter on the Civil War years is the story of George Thompson, who was imprisoned for attempting to help a number of slaves to freedom. The narrative enters the twentieth century with the controversy surrounding the various systems of inmate labor; the effort to make the prison self-supporting eventually caused punishment to be driven by factory needs. The example of Firebug Johnson demonstrates how inmates reacted to the prison labor system while Kate Richards O’Hare’s struggles and efforts to improve conditions in the penitentiary illuminate the role of women in the system at the time. A full chapter is devoted to the riot of 1954, and another concentrates on the reforms made in the wake of that catastrophe. Rasmussen also considers the effect inmate lawsuits during the 1980s and 1990s had on prison life before telling the story of the decision to close the prison. The Missouri State Penitentiary provides a fitting account of an institution that was part of Missouri’s history for well over a century. Numerous illustrations and a list of recommended reading contribute to the readers’ understanding of the history of the institution.

Missouri State Penitentiary

Missouri State Penitentiary PDF Author: Arnold G. Parks
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 0738590800
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 130

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Book Description
The Missouri State Penetentiary was established in 1833 via a bill passed by the state legislature and closed on September 15, 2004. It was considered one of the largest maximum-security penal institution in the United States. The penitentiary had the distinction of housing some very famous individuals: boxing champion Sonny Liston, infamous gangster Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd, and James Earl Ray. The history of the facility is seen through images mostly taken from the holdings of the Missouri State Archives.

Shanks to Shakers

Shanks to Shakers PDF Author: Mark S. Schreiber
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780615503783
Category : Correctional institutions
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description


Unguarded Moments

Unguarded Moments PDF Author: Larry Edmund Neal
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781612481104
Category : Prisoners
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In this memoir about life in the Missouri State Penitentiary by a worker who was neither a prisoner nor a guard, Larry E. Neal reveals a portrait of prison life very different from common conceptions. Unguarded Moments gives readers a window into the rhythms of daily life inside and the shared humanity of everyone behind the walls.

Haunted Jefferson City

Haunted Jefferson City PDF Author: Janice Tremeear
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1614236771
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 115

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Book Description
Missouri's state capital groans beneath the burden of its haunted heritage, from the shadow people of Native American folklore to Boogie Man Bill, Missouri's wild child. The muddy river waters hide the shifting graves of steamboat crews, like the one that went down with the Montana, and the savage scars of the Civil War still linger on the land. Join Janice Tremeear for the fascinating history behind Jefferson City's most chilling tales, including a visit to the notorious Missouri State Penitentiary, where the vicious festered for 170 years.

Missouri State Penitentiary ...

Missouri State Penitentiary ... PDF Author: Missouri State Penitentiary
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description


In Prison

In Prison PDF Author: Kate Richards O'Hare
Publisher: New York, A. A. Knopf
ISBN:
Category : Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description


Lansing Correctional Facility

Lansing Correctional Facility PDF Author: Laura Phillippi
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467112461
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
Since 1868, the Lansing Correctional Facility (formerly the Kansas State Penitentiary) has stood watch over what would become the city of Lansing. Designed by Erasmus Carr, architect of the Kansas State Capitol, the prison is the oldest in Kansas. In the beginning, it housed male and female inmates from Kansas and Oklahoma, as well as inmates serving federal sentences. Today, the facility's population of minimum, medium, maximum, and special management custody offenders is approximately 2,400. Leavenworth County has also seen the addition of the United States Disciplinary Barracks, United States Penitentiary-Leavenworth, and Corrections Corporation of America-Leavenworth, making it the only county in the country to host a state, military, federal, and private prison. Images of America: Lansing Correctional Facility features photographs of the early days, when inmates were on the "silent system" and could not speak to one another, to more modern times when rehabilitation has become an important component of prison life.

Official Manual of the State of Missouri

Official Manual of the State of Missouri PDF Author: Missouri. Office of the Secretary of State
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Executive departments
Languages : en
Pages : 1514

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Book Description


Virginia State Penitentiary: A Notorious History

Virginia State Penitentiary: A Notorious History PDF Author: Dale M. Brumfield
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467137634
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
Thomas Jefferson developed the idea for the Virginia State Penitentiary and set the standard for the future of the American prison system. Designed by U.S. Capitol and White House architect Benjamin Latrobe, the "Pen" opened its doors in 1800. Vice President Aaron Burr was incarcerated there in 1807 as he awaited trial for treason. The prison endured severe overcrowding, three fires, an earthquake and numerous riots. More than 240 prisoners were executed there by electric chair. At one time, the ACLU called it the "most shameful prison in America." The institution was plagued by racial injustice, eugenics experiments and the presence of children imprisoned among adults. Join author Dale Brumfield as he charts the 190-year history of the iconic prison.