Deviant Criminology
Dr. Richard Weaver Jr., Heather Kenney, and Rachel Czar take listeners on a journey through the world of true crime. With their unique careers in the criminal justice and academic world; they work to provide an entertaining and educational experience for listeners. This podcast examines many areas of true crime including; the formation of laws, cases that defined caselaw, and crimes that impacted the world. Please join us on this journey as we transition from professionals in criminal justice and academia to budding podcasters.
Deviant Criminology
Missouri State Penitentiary: A Legacy of Reform and Injustice
Missouri State Penitentiary, once a notorious symbol of America’s correctional system, offers an unsettling reflection on incarceration's evolution over 170 years. The episode delves into MSP’s dark history, its notorious inmates, failed reform efforts, and the prison’s eventual closure in 2004, encapsulating a legacy that continues to influence talks on prison reform today.
• Exploration of the early years and original design principles
• Discussion of incarceration experiences and daily life
• Examination of labor practices and the effects of overcrowding
• Review of the significant riots and systemic failures
• Overview of educational and rehabilitation programs
• Analysis of racial tensions and their impact on inmate treatment
• Insight into the prison's closure and legacy
www.deviantcriminology.com
So I'm Richard, I'm Heather, and this is Deviant Criminology. So this week we're kind of going back to something we've looked at doing and one episode's already been done of kind of talking about the history of certain penitentiaries and institutions, and some of these, like Eastern State Penitentiary and the one we're going to talk about today, missouri State Penitentiary they're now historical sites that you can go tour and stuff, and Heather and I are going to present this case today. But it was brought to us by our wonderful producer, nancy, who put this together. So, though we know some of the history and background of prisons and penitentiaries, this is an episode that's special to her.
Speaker 2:So again we're talking about the Missouri State Penitentiary, which is located in Jefferson City, missouri. It stands as the oldest and most infamous prison in the United States. So, operating for nearly 170 years from 1836 to 2004, missouri State Penitentiary witnessed the evolution of the American prison system, their periods of intense overcrowding, brutal treatment of prisoners, violent uprisings and a reputation for labor exploitation. That kind of seems like to be a theme of, especially in the early years of our reform system is the use of hard labor.
Speaker 3:Yeah Well, labor in general. Like I agree with you on the hard labor, but even like I don't know about you, but when I was a kid they used to say, oh, they make the license plates there. Like I agree with you on the hard labor, but even like I don't know about you, but when I was a kid they used to say, oh, they make the license plates there. Like just labor in general. And it makes me wonder sometimes are people making money off of this, especially with all the privatization, like what aspects are there, you know complications, conflict of interest, things like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think there are. Like I mean, I know they're making some money off of it. Like I remember when I was in the military, certain like toiletries and stuff we had were made in prisons, so like private companies were profiting off of their work. So and this seems to be kind of a thing across the reformation of all prisons in the United States at some point prior to 1930s when that reform?
Speaker 2:really started to get away from that, all because of the Industrial Revolution. I was informed. I had to bring the mic closer to me, so I will now continue with my rendition about the Missouri State Prison. Thanks, nancy. The history of the Missouri State Prison also reflects efforts sometimes they were successful, sometimes they were futile to provide rehabilitation programs, vocational trainings and educational opportunities to inmates. We're going to explore the various stages of the prison's operations, the conditions within the walls. We're going to talk about the types of opportunities it offers to inmates and then the overall impact of the facility on the American history and the prison system.
Speaker 3:So first we'll talk about the early years in the construction. So we're talking about 1836 to about the 1840s. So when we're talking about the origins and design, the story of the Missouri State Penitentiary began in 1820 when Missouri became a state. However, it wasn't until 1836 that the state authorized the construction of a penitentiary to house the increasing number of criminals, located on the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City. The site was chosen for its proximity to the state capital and ease of transportation by river.
Speaker 3:The original design of the prison was based on the Pennsylvania system, which emphasized solitary confinement, which we talked about before. Not such a great thing for individuals or their state of mind. So, talking about solitary and confinement, and they use that as a means of punishment and rehabilitation. Prisoners were housed in individual cells, each designed for isolation, with the belief that solitary confinement would encourage reflection, penance and eventual reform. And we talked about that again, that whole solitary confinement idea that somehow would bring you closer to God and you'd have those revelations of how you want to be a good person. And then we figured out nope, nope, it really just makes you crazy. The first building, a stone structure, was completed by 1837, housing up to 100 inmates. The early vision of the prison had separate cells, but overcrowding quickly became an issue as the prison population grew.
Speaker 2:And we saw that in eastern states too. The idea was solitary confinement, but between corruption, which was already being sought out right in the beginning, and then also just the way that these were being used as institutions to house inmates who were being convicted of all types of crimes which it wasn't really established for. So the initial design of the Missouri State Prison reflected the 19th century emphasis on imposing architecture as a means of deterrence. So if you look at the outside of the Missouri State Prison it's very imposing, it's very medieval looking almost, and just kind kind of like I don't want to be behind whatever is on the other side of those walls. So it was built primarily, primarily, of stone. The facilities construction featured a formidable exterior, characterized by its high walls and narrow windows, so that old english fort look, designed to both confined and isolate. The architectural blueprint was intended to convey a sense of authority and order over the people on the inside and to strike fear in the individuals on the outside. So throughout its operational years the Missouri State Printing Treasury underwent several renovations and expansions. Same thing we see in others prison where it started as one building, but the rapid growth and need of our, I dare say, industrial prison complex. It's just the rapid growth and the realization that you couldn't do all these individual cells. You had to start doing mass incarcerations, almost so.
Speaker 2:Notable refurbishment periods included the late 19th century and then some in the early and mid-20th century, each marked by the integration of more advanced security technologies and the construction of additional cell blocks.
Speaker 2:So you're seeing things like the gates, these big gates that were being put in the guard towers that would start being seen with the shooters or officers with rifles in them. It was definitely about the least amount of prison guards for the maximum amount of inmates, and we see that again. It comes up today where there's just not enough guards, but the state can only afford to do so much with what it has. The architectural style of the prison is emblematic of the penal design philosophies prevalent in the United States during its time of construction, characterized by its imposing facades. But what was not only common in prisons but it was also in academics and religious buildings. So you see this on college campuses from back around this time period of this almost English England inspired architecture. This architectural approach was significant in shaping public perceptions and expectations for incarceration and it further embedded the institution within the society and historical fabric of Missouri.
Speaker 3:So let's talk about the first inmates. The first inmates at MSP arrived in 1837, and it was a modest group that quickly grew as the state continued to send convicts to the prison. Early prisoners were often incarcerated for offenses like theft and violent crimes. The original solitary confinement system became impractical as the population swelled and by the 1840s the prison moved towards more communal living arrangements.
Speaker 2:Now we'll kind of talk about the daily schedule that inmates would go through. So daily life in MSP was meticulously structured. There was a very set routine to what inmates had to do. This was done to. These structures were there to help in store and maintain order, to make discipline apparent to the inmates and to provide security.
Speaker 2:Inmates adhered to a regiment established that began early in the morning and concluded in the evening. So their schedules would start very early in the morning and then would conclude in the evening, facilitating the operational needs of the institution, such as cooks, laundry facilities, things of that nature, and then rehabilitation of its population. When that was moved into the daily lives at MSP, they typically started their day at dawn, with inmates being awakened for roll call, and breakfast Meals were served in shifts with an emphasis on efficiency and minimal interaction between prisoners to prevent disturbances. So again, this kind of goes to that, trying to isolate individuals from each other as much as possible. Following breakfast, inmates were assigned to work details or educational programs. So they either went to one of the workshops that were provided or they're allowed to attend educational programming which history would show us involved religious studies or basic high school classes and as they developed into the middle and late 20th century would have had probably some GED and college classes as well.
Speaker 3:Which we still try to do now. We try to offer educational opportunities at facilities. I don't know how much practically they help, but I mean we still try to do that.
Speaker 2:And part of that's going from that again punitive punishment of the original concept of prisons being a way to bring people closer to God and that crime was a moral failure. And more now we saw after Reformation in the prison systems, of it being more of a like how do we make you not commit crimes again? Because we know these are more psychological, economical and socially based. Not you've stopped believing in God or you've turned from God.
Speaker 3:So it's definitely the educational piece comes into that If an educated society and an educated person brings about a more productive member of society, as long as you can overcome the stigmas, though, and get a job, which is I mean, that's another complication that even if you get the education, if you don't get the opportunity to apply it, that doesn't help you reintegrate.
Speaker 2:Oh, exactly, and I think they're trying to even work that now with the implementation of like realizing there's a shortage of skilled labor workers and imposing not imposing but implementing like welding classes and plumbing classes and teaching trades to inmates, where they really do have an opportunity to get out and maybe have a job that pays a decent amount compared to how it used to be of just here's a ged or a high school diploma I'd go out and find something and industries that already aren't willing to take inmates. Now you're sending skilled labor workers out into a workforce that needs people.
Speaker 3:So the work assignments varied, including tasks within the prison industries, including things like maintenance of the facility or outdoor labor in fields or gardens. These labor assignments were integral to the institution's self-sustaining model, aiming to instill a work ethic and facilitate skill acquisition among the inmates, which was you know again today would be something like the trades.
Speaker 2:And educational and religious service were also pivotal components of daily routines, offering inmates opportunities for both intellectual and moral development. Participation in classes, literacy programs or religious gatherings was often encouraged, serving both rehabilitative and disciplinary functions. So that's one of the things that we would see now like for early release and stuff is getting a better education, finding or connecting with faith or faith-based organizations. So across the Missouri State Penitentiary's time they were kind of ahead of their time in certain areas of really pushing these things. The afternoon mirrored the morning, with a continuation of work, assignments and educational or spiritual activities and are spread with meals and mandatory recreational periods and are spread with meals and mandatory recreational periods.
Speaker 2:Recreation was tightly controlled, with limited access to outdoor spaces and monitored interactions intended to reduce tensions and promote physical well-being, and that was a thing that would be worried about. I mean, even today you worry about everybody in prison is not going to get along. They're not friends. You had gangs even back 20s, 30s, actually back in the 1800s. There's a lot of documentation of gangs and organized groups, so you would want to keep them separated.
Speaker 3:So when it came to the evenings, that was typically reserved for personal time, during which inmates could engage in limited social activities or hobbies or personal reflection within the confines of their own cells. Lights Out signaled the end of the day, with strict enforcement ensuring adherence to the schedule. The structure routine was designated not only to reduce idle time, which could lead to unrest, but also to promote a sense of normalcy and discipline, preparing inmates for the eventual reintegration into society, which, of course, has been the goal for a lot of these programs. We try to attain it, but it doesn't always work. But understanding this daily rhythm provides insight into the penal philosophy of the time and reflects broader trends in prison management and rehabilitation efforts.
Speaker 2:And it's kind of almost the same thing you see in the military. If you have that very scheduled routine, you're always keeping people busy, there's less time to mess up, less time to have those bad interactions. So it for the most part hopefully worked. But obviously we've seen in some of the stuff we've already talked about in the past and we're going to talk about here it doesn't always work that way and sometimes even just the changing of wardens can have, you know, you go from a place that's very positive and socially, promotes interactions and positive to somebody that comes in and wants to do more of that punishment and strong enforcement. It can completely change a facility.
Speaker 2:So expansion in prison labor between 1850s and 1900s by the 1850s in Missouri State Penitentiary was overcrowded. Again, we've seen this in a lot of facilities we've talked about, or just that we know about so far, promoting the construction of additional cell blocks and a rethink of the prison's layout. And so by the time the Civil War erupted, msp housed over 600 inmates. As more convicts were sent to the facility and with prison overcrowding, there was violence and tension between the guards and the inmates.
Speaker 3:So, when it comes to prison labor we touched on this just a moment ago we have the birth of industrialized labor, and as the prison's population expanded, so did the demand for prison labor. The late 19th century saw the introduction of the convict leasing program, a practice which prisoners released to private companies to reform labor for companies, and that included things like railroad construction, mining and agriculture. The system allowed the state to offset the cost of maintaining the prison while exposing inmates to extremely dangerous and exploitative work conditions. Many prisoners, especially those sent to work in coal mines which we've been talking about coal mines a lot today and railroads suffered injuries, disease and even death. At the prison itself, inmates were put to work producing goods for both the state and private industry, including furniture, clothing, bricks and other materials. This forced labor often left inmates working long hours with little to no compensation.
Speaker 2:I mean mean and this is when we go back and look at the prison system specifically, and it's a fear we talk about today even but this was forced labor and slavery. It was you committed a crime. Well, now you're indentured to the state and we can do whatever we want with you. And Missouri is probably one of many states and I couldn't tell you how many right now because I didn't do that research, but I will and bring it back at another time of chain gangs and things like that, where they were sent out and forced to work in harsh conditions.
Speaker 2:But because you're an inmate and you committed a crime, it didn't matter the crime. You had to basically become an indentured servant until sometimes you paid off your debt, which is kind of where that comes from paying off your debt to society. Sometimes you had to earn a certain amount before you'd be set free, because of either restitution that you owed or whatever fines had been imposed on you. So your physical labor, where somebody may make a dollar an hour, you were paid a cent an hour. You had to get all that together.
Speaker 3:So, as a which is kind of interesting when you think about it, because we had the debtors' prisons in Europe and we came here and we said, okay, we're not going to have debtors' prisons anymore. But now instead, you're going to have to pay court costs and in order to pay those court costs and fines and fees, you need to pay it with money. And oh, you don't have any money, so I guess you're going to have to work that off. So we're really back to the debtors' prisons.
Speaker 2:Well, and even in the United States in the beginning we had debtors' prisons, but those were jails. It wasn't as long-term. But then we started having to intermix as we took a different approach on criminal justice. We had to take people and actually punish them for their crimes outside of the physical beatings and executions that were being done. So the debtors were being put in with actual violent criminals. And then we were like, oh, we have to start a jail system which is as we talked about, with Eastern State and Missouri State Prison Penitentiary and Missouri State Penitentiary. These were facilities made to separate back out those debtors which, again, you would know a lot more about, like the misdemeanor versus felonies and why jails only house them for so amount of time.
Speaker 2:But in the end these environments that they had, the overcrowding and everything did lead to these problems of unrest, and Missouri State Penitentiary was not immune from this. The cramped, oppressive conditions at the facility led to frequent escapes and violent confrontation between inmates and guards. The harsh treatment and overcrowding resulted in numerous attempts to break free free. There was a hope high profile escape of George machine gun Kelly and notorious gangster of the 1930s, which seems to kind of be like our era right now. We kind of got to get out of this 1930s thing, yeah, and there was a lot of really not great but a lot of like famous criminals from there, and Machine Gun Kelly is definitely one of those names that you just hear and you've heard it before. But inmates would regularly fight not only with each other or stage violent riots, but they would also fight with guards.
Speaker 3:So then that gets us up to the early 20th century and our struggle for reform attempts. So we're talking about like 1900 to the 1950s, and during that time there were escalating problems. Specifically, by the early 20th century, msp was widely regarded as one of the most overcrowded and violent prisons in the country. Conditions inside were abysmal and prisoners faced frequent abuse, unsanitary living conditions, inadequate food and lack of access to medical care. The prison was also largely unprepared to handle the growing number of inmates, leading to increasingly dangerous and unstable conditions. The 1917 prison riot was a watershed moment in the prison's history. The prison riot was a watershed moment in the prison's history. Inmates angry over their treatment seized control over the facility and for several days the prison was effectively in a state of anarchy. The National Guard was called in to restore order and several prisoners were killed in the violence.
Speaker 2:This riot marked a significant escalation in tensions between inmates and prison authorities and highlighted the systemic failures of the facility. Again, this is something we saw with Eastern State Penitentiary as well is kind of these riot situations, these very violent encounters between the two, and even though there was a lot of kind of obvious things that were leading up to this, there was just so much mismanagement and bad handling and abuses of power and corruption that were being seen, especially that 1900 to 1950s time period that not only was Missouri State of Inventory not immune from, but it was almost kind of like a hallmark of how bad these situations could be. So there were several reform efforts that were sought to address the appalling conditions at the facility. While the broader trend in the US corrections leaned towards punitive measures, there were brief attempts to offer educational opportunities and vocational training to inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary. However, these efforts were often short-lived, underfunded and unable to effectively overcome the institution's overcrowding and dangerous environment. And that's just kind of one of those bullshit measures that they've tried in prisons before where it's like oh, here's this new program, it'll work great. We saw it in a lot of situations where either local, state or federal organizations will offer here's a small amount of money. You're going to start this program. Well, six months later, you know what? It's not effective. We're going to pull the funding, not giving it time, not giving the staffing that's needed. But they could go to the newspapers or the media at the time be like, oh, look what we're doing. We're starting this educational program. Six months later, fucking cut the funding, you know, and we're starting to get into as well.
Speaker 2:When you look at the conditions inside this facility, this is for prisoners, but we also saw the. You could take this exact line when it's talking about the lack of food, the inadequate medical coverage coverage, the overpopulation, and talk about the mental health facilities at the time, the nursing home facilities at the time, the schools for disabled children at the time this was a wide problem in the US, with extreme underfunding for all those that were not able-bodied, non-convicted people. So if you were disabled, if you were elderly, if you were a prisoner, you all got treated like crap in this system and it took some brave people to come forward. So we do see the reforms trying to happen but, just like we saw with the institutionalization of mental health facilities, hey, we to do these reforms soon as they start. Oh, we're just not going to fund them. So nothing happens and the problems just continue to persist. Well, we tried these things.
Speaker 3:No, you didn't try them, you just wrote it on paper that you were going to try it so, just like the rest of the country, there were racial tensions and segregation within the prison and during this period, like many US prisons, msp implemented a system of racial segregation. African-american inmates were confined to separate units and they often faced more harsh treatment by guards compared to their white counterparts. Racial tensions were a constant issue throughout the prison's history, escalating during the 1960s and 1970s, when riots and violent incidents were often sparked by issues of segregation, poor treatment and the broader social unrest of the era.
Speaker 2:And I think it's really interesting. I could do a whole class just on this. But you're seeing really defined moments of racial tension between guards and the black population in the 60s and 70s. At the same time, on the outside, you're seeing the rise of civil rights. So it makes you question again. I don't have the answers right now and I'll admit that but was there racial tension because civil rights were being fought for on the outside and maybe some of the white guards were taking it out on the black inmates, while the black inmates at the same time were wanting and seeking equal treatment? That's just a little social worky of me.
Speaker 3:I'm sure there was crossover, though it's not like it's a bubble.
Speaker 2:Exactly they're usually. To be honest, from my experience, I don't know about yours, but the criminal justice system always seems almost a microcosm of the bigger issues going on in society. Definitely, and I'm going to leave that there, we can do totally other stuff on that. But the early 20th century again saw more growth, overcrowding and reforms. Saw more growth, overcrowding and reforms. But in the 1930s the prison housed over 5,000 inmates, making it one of the largest prisons in the United States, leading to overcrowding, which increased again this violence and deterioration that we're seeing in living conditions. You also see kind of the rise of some really prominent criminals. We already talked about Machine Gun Kelly's there at this time. But you also had Pretty Boy Floyd who was serving time for robbery, which kind of further boosted the prison's reputation as a place that held some of the nation's most dangerous criminals. So it's got these problems with overcrowding, but in a way you're getting these profiled prisoners that are coming in. That in a weird way is bringing media attention. That's not wanted by Missouri State Penitentiary. That is going to in a way help bring reforms because it's getting in a bad light.
Speaker 2:But with the rise of public awareness of prison conditions, because of this, msp began implementing limited reforms. Again, they tried to put these basic educational programs to help inmates improve their literacy. They tried to bring in vocational training aimed at teaching trades like carpentry we kind of talked about this to bring trades like carpentry, welding and mechanics Again. However, these are scarce resources. It's really hard to convince politicians and people outside you know that, not in my backyard mentality Like well, why are you going to take my tax dollars to pay for inmates and criminals? Like really they're there to be punished? We haven't gotten quite to where we're going to start talking about reforms like we see being pushed in the late 60s and beyond. But again these efforts fell short.
Speaker 3:So that leads to the next incident In 1954, msp experienced one of the worst riots in US history, which cemented its reputation as one of the most dangerous prisons in the country. On September 22nd, tensions over harsh conditions, overcrowding and poor treatment led inmates to riot. They took control of parts of the prison, set fires and attacked guards, causing extensive damage and endangering lives. During the chaos, prisoners set fire to multiple buildings and clashed with law enforcement. Four inmates were killed, 50 were injured and hundreds were involved in violent confrontations with guards. The Missouri National Guard was called in to regain control and the riot was quelled only after 12 hours of standoff. The event highlighted the brutal conditions at MSP and triggered national attention, sparking public outrage and calls for reform. In the aftermath, msp underwent repairs and made modest improvements, but the systemic issues of overcrowding, violence and poorer conditions persisted. The riot's legacy lingered, leading Time magazine to dub MSP the bloodiest 47 acres in America.
Speaker 2:And this wasn't like an isolated incident. There were other notable violent confrontations that had happened and notable inmates as well that were there. So through the 1960s and 1970s there were more clashes that happened and then some incidents that happened with inmates that escaped. So one of those famous ones is James Earl Ray, which I think not enough people know this man's name. So in 1967, james Earl Ray was incarcerated at Missouri State Penitentiary on charges of armed robbery. I do think it's interesting that I have an original Time magazine article about James Earl Ray in my office where I work and it talks about his mental health issues and psychological issues. So it doesn't surprise me that not only did he have prior histories of criminal activity, but after his escape in 1967, a year later he would assassinate Dr Martin Luther King, and Ray's escape exposed significant security flaws in MSP and prompted discussions about prison security. Another known person was Charles Sonny Liston. So Liston, who would later become a heavyweight boxing champion, served time at MSP for armed robbery, served time at MSP for armed robbery. He began boxing while incarcerated and his successful story later highlighted the positive impact of certain prison programs. So you have two very contrasting stories here, one of James Earl Ray, who would go on to assassinate a very important figure in the civil rights movement, but then Charles Sonny Liston who through programs of boxing in prison, changes his life around and becomes a boxer and in a way that's a positive story for some of the reforms they were trying to do. But again, it doesn't talk about how long that program went on for and how many people were as successful as he was.
Speaker 2:So during this area the prison also continued to face other issues recultivating in another riot in 1981, which once again drew attention to the facility's deteriorating infrastructure and dangerous conditions. Remember, at this point this facility's almost been open roughly 100 and almost 45, 150 years. We know that there had to be major problems. When you're talking sanitation, these were originally stone, concrete structures. You couldn't just take a wall out and add new plumbing or run heating very easily. So there's deteriorating conditions leading probably to mold, heat and cooling problems. Overcrowding is getting worse and worse. You can't just expand heat and cooling problems. Overcrowding is getting worse and worse. You can't just expand. So now you've got, within 25 years, another major riot that's gripping attention.
Speaker 3:So they ended up having changes in the inmate management policies, and the evolution of inmate management policies at Missouri State Prison reflects a broader shift in correctional philosophies throughout the facility's operational history. Initially, the management policies were heavily influenced by the 19th century doctrines of strict discipline and segregation, which prioritized security and control over rehabilitation. However, as societal views on punishment evolved, so did the prison's approach to managing its inmate population. One significant change in inmate management was the gradual move from solitary confinement towards more progressive rehabilitation programs. This shift was driven by emerging research and public discourse advocating for humane treatment and the focus on preparing inmates for reintegration into society. As part of this reform, the prison implemented various educational and vocational programs aimed to equip inmates with the necessary skills for post-incarceration life.
Speaker 2:And what's interesting is a lot of these reforms as, again, we've kind of talked about in the past. But they were implemented because people were coming from Ireland, england and Europe seeing the prison system that existed here in the United States and going, oh that's shit, we've got to do different. And basically going back to their countries demolishing and tearing down how horrible our system was. Then that literature get back to the US and the US was like, oh yeah, we are really bad. We probably need to fix this because they're talking crap about us. So like, great, it's just kind of sad that we and even now it's just kind of sad that we and even now our prison system is not the example, it's the almost what not to do that other countries are seeing. I mean, we have an average of 10 million people a year that enter the criminal justice system and over 5 million are incarcerated a year. That's not that those are horrible numbers compared to other countries and the number of people they incarcerate. And here we are getting into the 2000s and you're incarcerating people in a jail that had been built in the 1830s. So the administration also introduced classification systems where inmates were categorized based on risk levels, behaviors and rehabilitative progress, though this allowed for tailored management strategies that aligned with each inmate's specific needs, facilitating a more individual approach to corrections.
Speaker 2:The system played a crucial role in improving safety within the facility by mitigating tensions and reducing the likelihood of violence. So this is where you got to see more of different prisons calling different things. So this is where you got to see more of different prisons calling different things. But your minor offense wing, your low risk inmates that have more outside access to the yard. Some of them may be able to come and go from facilities obviously not MSP, but just kind of these reforms where, all the way to the 23 and a half hours a day people being locked in their cell, and all of these could be done at the same facility. I've been to multiple prisons where you see these different levels. The lowest level risks may only have one guard for 100 people because they're not going to cause any problems.
Speaker 2:Furthermore, changes in policy also focused on staff training and development, emphasizing the importance of professional development for corrections officers. Training programs were established to enhance officers' understanding of rehabilitation theories, philosophies and to ensure the effective application of new management techniques. Also, along with just training them in how to detain an inmate, how to safely interact with them, like it kind of went from just beating the crap out of somebody to more tactical approaches and things like that. And it was a very big reform that really looked at treating inmates and getting them seen as human beings, which really before the 1950s, 1960s they just weren't them seen as human beings which really before the 1950s, 1960s, they just weren't.
Speaker 3:So along with that, you have the legislative and judicial pressures influencing policy reforms, particularly concerning inmate rights and living conditions.
Speaker 3:These pressures led to advancements in health care, mental health services, a grievance process, ensuring the prison adhered to evolving legal and ethical standards, and you see that a lot of times when you have criminal cases, that part of what is presented in hearings are the conditions that are happening at the prison and the things that are happening there. Especially, you know, like when you're talking about parole or early release, you're talking about somebody who has health problems and they're trying to get paroled early, or at least earlier than we would think they should be getting out. Things like not having proper medical care comes into and plays a part in those things. Same thing with trying to get conditions on bond. If a defendant comes before a judge and says this facility can't take care of my medical needs, it's really hard for you know, a judge to make a finding. This person needs to stay there when they're not going to get the medical care that they needed. So it definitely needed to have some type of reform in order for these places to meet their intended purpose.
Speaker 2:Well, and also, if you're looking from academics and evidence-based practices like the 1950s to 70s, which is kind of the time period we're talking about, right, providing more services to them, that could decrease some of those tensions, especially, like they're talking about here, mental health problems and things like that, which becomes more of a concern as we enter the 1970s to now because with the institutionalization unfortunately so many more people with mental health issues ended up on the streets without access to mental health treatment and the jails and prisons like MSP would become kind of the de facto mental health facilities.
Speaker 2:So within Missouri State Prison we do see the rise of rehabilitation programs across the 70s mental health facilities. So within Missouri State Prison we do see the rise of rehabilitation programs across the 70s to 90s, with a variety of programming and activities that were established to try and be more rehabilitative and really push personal development. So these initiatives reflected a shift away again from that purely punitive measure, like we're not just here to punish you but we're also trying to help you become a better member society when we return you to the streets. So there was pushes to promote a balanced lifestyle within the prison, contribute to a more positive atmosphere and reduce incidences of violence and discontent. By addressing educational, spiritual and recreational needs, the MSP activities played a pivotal role in overall strategies for inmate rehabilitation and institutional management.
Speaker 3:So you had things like the educational and vocational programs, which would be educational programs that were a cornerstone of the activities, offering a range of opportunities from basic literacy and numeracy classes to vocational training. The prison aimed to equip inmates with skills that could be utilized in the workforce, thereby reducing recidivism and by enhancing their employability, giving them tools that they could use so that they wouldn't again go back to criminal ways to support themselves. Courses in trades such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work were particularly popular, providing practical training that was valuable both inside and outside the prison walls.
Speaker 2:But you still had prison industries, so you still kind of had these inmates that were being used to do work inside the prison. They were producing goods such as license plates, manufacturing items sold to the state departments. Like I said when I was in the military, like our toilet paper, some of our uniforms and stuff were made by inmates and this work helped to fund the prisons while giving inmates a productive outlet. So prisons are looking for a way to continue to decrease their costs while keeping the inmates active and engaging in something. I'm sure people don't see making toilet paper as like a great job skill, but it is teaching them showing up to work at certain times, leaving at certain times, being productive the entire day. So even those base root skills that are needed to succeed in a job field outside of prison- and of course, during COVID, we figured out how important toilet paper actually is.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so. These inmates would have been amazing in 2020. Another thing that's dear to my heart and again is important just coming from social work that's been pushed for for a long time inside prisons is the psychological counseling and substance abuse programs. A lot of inmates that we see now have either mental health disorders, substance use disorders or comorbidity of both, and if you're not treating those and you're just putting them right back out on the streets, your ability to reoffend is higher because you're not getting the treatment you need for those disorders. And sometimes we know that substance use disorders are specifically self-medicating because of mental health issues and they create this own cycle of incarceration.
Speaker 2:So with the growth of awareness of mental health, missouri state penitentiary began offering limited counseling and addiction programs. These were underfunded but provided some inmates a chance to address issues related to addiction and trauma. And what kind of would come later? Is these working with outside nonprofits and other organizations, where maybe we can't offer these in prison, but before you're paroled or released, you would go to a temporary facility that could offer those treatments and stuff before you're completely released. So yeah, we're not going to offer it in prison, but we are going to mandate it before you're allowed out or early release, that you have to go to a facility outside. So it's kind of a mid range to try and at least get them some type of treatment before they're put on the streets. So I think that that was a big one.
Speaker 3:And I think that's a problem we continue to have today, at least in my experience. We used to struggle to find facilities where we could send people who had dual diagnosis. So if you had somebody who had a psychological issue and a substance abuse issue and, as you pointed out, a lot of people self-medicate and that's how the substance abuse issue starts On the psychological side, they would say you need to be clean, we're not going to take you because we can't help you until you are no longer addicted to substances. And then on the substance abuse side, they would say well, we have to treat your psychological stuff because you're self-medicating, and until the psychological aspect is fixed, we can't do anything to help you. And so these dual diagnosis defendants would get caught up in the system where they just they couldn't get help from anywhere and they would just go in circles because, again, there wasn't enough funding, there weren't enough spots in these dual diagnosis facilities to treat the people who needed it with mental health and substance use disorders.
Speaker 2:because even from my own limited work in substance use treatment because that's kind of where I started when I thought I want to be a therapist until I realized I didn't want to be a therapist that it's not a one time and you're cured, like a lot of individuals, especially when you start getting into things like harder drugs, like opioids, heroin, things like that. It takes four or five, six trips to rehab. Heroin, things like that. It takes four, five, six trips to rehab. And the justice system in corrections really had kind of more of a focus on well, we sent you once, it didn't happen. We're just going to send you right back to prison and not have these longer term treatment understandings, and I think we're still fighting that. But it was good to at least see, even at the very limited level, that Missouri State Penn tried to bring those in. But the problem is as well, and especially in an older facility like this, it's so easy to get drugs in that even if you offered rehab, it's very easy for them to go to those classes and come back and do some type of drugs that were either created in the jail or smuggled in by somebody.
Speaker 2:But another good source for inmates was the religious programs.
Speaker 2:So throughout the prison system in the United States, going all the way back to some of the first, including the Eastern State, religion has always been a pivotal cornerstone of our Reformation system.
Speaker 2:So religious and spiritual programs played a significant role within chaplaincy services and religious study groups available to inmates of various faiths. These programs were intended not only to provide spiritual support but also to promote moral reflection and personal growth. So participation in religious activities often contributed positively to an inmate's behavioral record, impacting their eligibility for parole or special privileges. And there's a lot of that with like early release programs and things like that. One of the things that can be considered good time is that you've been going to church, talking with religious leaders and really shown this moral and ethical development and growth through multiple religions. It's not just Christian-based in the prisons that I've seen. I'm sure there are some that may be different, but Bible study courses and counseling sessions were available and religious programs became one of the few sources of emotional and spiritual support for inmates. And, on a side note, they also were one of the few safe zones was inside the religious, the chapels or whatever where inmates were safe.
Speaker 3:So we talked about a lot of the problems that were happening at MSP and, of course, those problems eventually led to the closure of Missouri State Prison, and that occurred after significant deliberation and analysis, reflecting an accumulation of factors that ultimately led to the decision to cease its operations. A primary reason for the prison's closure was its aging infrastructure, which we talked about earlier how you can't just add on to it or run extra heat or plumbing through it and it was struggling to meet the modern standards required for security, inmate housing and rehabilitation programs. The facility, with its historical construction, was deemed inadequate in providing the necessary conditions for a humane and safe correctional environment. In addition to the infrastructure concerns, evolving penal philosophies contributed to the decision. The late 20th century saw a shift towards more rehabilitative and less punitive approaches, emphasizing the need for facilities that could support these new correctional strategies. Alternatives such as community-based programs and newer, more adaptable correctional facilities offered more promising opportunities for reform and efficiency in the penile system. So on October you said penile In the penile system.
Speaker 2:So on October, you said penile, you said penile.
Speaker 3:I did.
Speaker 2:Efficiency in the penile system. So October 14th 2004, the Missouri State Penitentiary was finally closed to be replaced by the new Jefferson City Correctional Center. But this was done because of political and public pressures that also influenced the decision, as public outcry over prison condition and advocates for reform created momentum for change. So that facility is closed down after almost 180 years of usage, which again, I think says a lot about our justice and criminal justice system. Specifically, corrections, Like I think, when you look at law enforcement, it has advanced rapidly, but mostly that's for the protection of the community and officers. When you look at the court system, those have changed, have been adapted quickly because it's for the protection of lawyers, judges, the citizens that come in, victims and again the officers that testify. I think corrections because we still have this very negative stigma of crime and mental health and everything else is the last thing that people think to give a shit about. So it's always going to be the last place that we are willing to put resources, because we still very much have a punitive mind frame, that we have to punish criminals, not help reform them or get them the services and things they need. So overall decision to close Missouri State Penitentiary was a multifaceted one, encompassing the infrastructural problems, philosophical shifts and needs for evidence-based practices. Economic issues it was just becoming so expensive to run this massive facility you think about the heating and plumbing and all that that would have gone on and then, finally, just political considerations. It looks better to. Let's get a new facility. Look at the new thing we've brought. We really care about prisoners and inmates.
Speaker 2:The closure marked the end of an era, transitioning from a historical institute to a focus on future forward correctional practices. So now, before we kind of wrap up the thing of this, the Missouri State Penitentiary is now a tourist attraction that you can visit for different levels and hours. If you were to visit themissouripentourscom, they offer tours. We are not sponsored by these people by any means. I just think these are really cool places to go visit. So you can get a two-hour historical tour. There is a three-hour in-depth history tour. There's a three-hour former inmate tour where you can learn from former inmates of this prison itself, which I think would actually be cool. We're going to have to go do that. You can do a private history tour, a private three-hour tour, and then every once in a while they do a ghost tour. We're not going to get into that. This is not that type of podcast, but we will now kind of look at the legacy of the Missouri State Penitentiary.
Speaker 3:So the Missouri State Penitentiary, which closed again we talked about it in 2004, 20 years ago remains a symbol of both the failures and occasional successes of the US penal system. While it provided opportunities for work and education, its reputation for violence, exploitation and inhumane conditions persists. The prison's legacy continues to influence debates around prison reform, overcrowding and rehabilitation in the modern era. So all of these things are still going on. I hate to sound negative, but nothing's changed. It's the same debate that we've had forever, and we still don't know what to do or how to solve these problems.
Speaker 2:And it's going to be a debate again. This, you know, podcast episode isn't the place to get into it, but moving into the future, especially when we talk about private prisons and for-profit prisons. Private prisons and for-profit prisons when people become paychecks, are we really worried about society and reformation or is it more about profit? So, in conclusion, today portions of msp have been preserved as historical site, attracting visitors with its dark history and offering tours, like I said, including ghost tours, to reflect on its beautiful past, its brutal past and beautiful past. I mean, if you look at it from an architectural standpoint, it is like a very historically beautiful building. If you look at it that it's not housing, beating and brutalizing a large portion of a population.
Speaker 2:So if you get a chance, I recommend going and visiting places like this, like we did Eastern State Penitentiary. They do tours going and visiting Missouri State Penitentiary and we're going to cover others, like over time. I think these are kind of fun little in between episodes to do, where we're getting away from murder, death, destruction, all those joyous things that we talk about, and true crime and criminal justice, but to talk about, like these facilities and how we have tried to reform and we kind of shine light on the individuals, and this one was Missouri is a little bit more of an overview, not really, and nonprofits have tried some successfully, some not successfully to reform and help make our justice system not purely punitive but to make it a place of reformation and, hopefully, resurrection.
Speaker 3:I mean, ultimately that's what we need, because if we have these people that aren't able to integrate back into society, then you know what are we going to do with them. It's horrible to think that you're just going to warehouse people indefinitely. And I think a lot of these people still have value, like not to sound selfish as far as to society, but they do like. They have people that they can connect with, they have family members, they have friends. They could find some type of a job where they could gain satisfaction from doing something but also help other people at the same time. So ultimately, it'd be nice if we only had first offenders and once we were able to help people, that would be it and they would not be in the system anymore um, and I think and it's kind of like a sad note to go out onto a point, and a positive one.
Speaker 2:at the same time, though, there are a lot of people who make mistakes that end up in prison, and we have to reform those, but there also is the fact that we do have monsters out there that lurk the streets that do need to be locked away, designed for trade, that now run and rule people's lives, that have done nothing but fuel criminal organizations, drug gangs and the violence that we see in the crimes that we are now punishing people for.
Speaker 3:I completely agree.
Speaker 2:I want to thank you all so much for listening to our little podcast. This is created with love and passion for criminal justice and true crime. So if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us, like or rate us on whatever system you're listening to us on, subscribe to our podcast and download episodes. Downloads are important for our growth, as is growing our listeners. So if you wouldn't mind, take the time to ask your friends, family, co-workers, tell them about us through word of mouth, social media I don't care if you even scream at strangers on the streets to help us kind of get out there who we are.
Speaker 2:If you're interested in learning more, you could visit our website at wwwdeviantcriminologycom. There you'll find some stuff about our backgrounds, references, show notes for each episode. You can also follow us on our Facebook page at Deviant Criminology. We also have an Instagram page, which is deviant underscore criminology, or find me at drrichardweaver on Instagram, and as we grow, we hope to develop a community that will grow with us. So again, thank you for taking the time to listen and have a good week you.
