Custodial - GCSE History Definition

In GCSE History, the word 'custodial' means a type of punishment where someone is locked up, usually in prison. It’s used when a person is found guilty of a crime and the law says they should lose their freedom for a period of time. Custodial punishments have changed a lot over time. In the medieval period, prisons were not the main punishment for crimes. Punishments like fines, public shaming, or execution were more common. By the 18th and 19th centuries, prisons became more important, especially as people began to believe in rehabilitation (trying to reform criminals). The Victorians built many prisons and introduced strict routines, hard labour, and isolation as part of punishment. Studying custodial punishment helps students see how ideas about justice, crime, and how criminals should be treated have changed over time — from harsh punishment to more focus on reform and rehabilitation.