Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Pentonville Prison: Case Study (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Rosanna Killick
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Pentonville Prison: Case Study - Summary
London’s Pentonville Prison was a new type of prison built in 1842. It incorporated the ideas of reformers like John Howard and Elizabeth Fry. It also used the latest technology, including modern ventilation and heating systems. Between 1842 and 1877, 90 new prisons were built on the model of Pentonville.
Pentonville’s prisoners spent as many as 23 hours a day alone. People hoped that this separate system would help prisoners to change their ways.
Prisons punished the most serious criminals, and there was a call for some prison conditions to be tougher. This was based on the belief in a ‘criminal type. In 1865, the government responded to these concerns, introducing the silent system.
Why was Pentonville Prison Made?
Pentonville Prison was made to
House increasing numbers of criminals
In this period, transportation and execution decreased
This meant that more criminals were in Britain
Pentonville Prison kept such criminals away from society
Act as a model for new ideas
Reformers suggested improvements in the running of prisons and the treatment of prisoners
Pentonville Prison became a place to test out these ideas
The main aim of Pentonville Prison was to reform prisoners
Many also saw it as a place of deterrence and retribution
Table of why people thought Pentonville Prison fulfilled the aims of punishment
Deterrence | Retribution | Rehabilitation |
Pentonville Prison was a serious punishment. Its prisoners carried out hard, repetitive labour, like breaking rocks. Many thought this would be enough to put people off committing crimes | Many saw the isolation and boredom of life in Pentonville Prison as a way to make criminals ‘pay’ for their crimes | Many thought that the solitude of Pentonville Prison would give prisoners a chance to reflect on their crimes, turn to religion and reform their ways |
The Design of Pentonville Prison
Every part of Pentonville Prison was designed to isolate prisoners
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Separate System
Table of strengths and weaknesses of the separate system
Strengths | Weaknesses |
Less physical illness: because Pentonville Prison was cleaner than previous prisons, disease did not spread as much | Mental illness: continuous isolation increased people’s risk of depression, psychosis and suicide. In the first eight years at Pentonville Prison, 22 prisoners went mad, 26 had a nervous breakdown and three killed themselves |
The right level of punishment: many believed that Pentonville Prison was neither too harsh nor too lenient | Lack of education: Pentonville prisoners were not taught any skills that they could use once released. This limited their chances of rehabilitation |
No chance of prisoner corruption: the lack of communication between prisoners meant that hardened criminals could not negatively influence minor ones | Expensive: keeping prisoners in individual cells was much more costly than having them mixed together |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Many students become confused about the term ‘separate system’. They often mistakenly explain it in terms of John Howard’s reforms, where criminals were separated according to their gender and class. Remember that the separate system is about keeping criminals isolated (apart from one another).
The silent system
The government’s introduction of the silent system marked a change in prisons
They became more focused on deterrence and retribution, rather than rehabilitation
Worked Example
Describe one design feature of Pentonville Prison
2 marks
Answers:
Pentonville Prison was designed to isolate prisoners by keeping them in their cells. (1) Cells provided everything a prisoner needed, including a bed, wash basin and a loom to weave on. (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
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