Evolution of Punishment: From 19th Century to Peronist Era
Culture and Society
The Role of Journalism in Shaping Perceptions of Prison
1. What is the role of journalism throughout the text “The Imagination of Punishment” regarding the relationship between society and the prison world? Explain its variants and its development between the late nineteenth century and the 1930s.
Journalism’s function in “The Imagination of Punishment” is to reveal what was happening inside prisons to a society that was interested in goings-on behind the walls. Journalism evolved over time. Initially, visits were more scientific, and journalists created an image of the prisoner as a monster, showing their suffering and poor living conditions. They often referred to them trivially, making jokes and physically stereotyping them based on their appearance. Over the years, journalists began to adopt a more humanistic approach, ceasing to simply pity the prisoners’ suffering and instead creating bonds of affection with readers. They showed that detainees were often incarcerated due to unfortunate life events, such as crimes of passion.
The creation of the National Penitentiary generated moral ambivalence. While the modern building was celebrated, the archaic way in which punishment was applied to detainees was criticized.
The abolition of the death penalty sparked a public debate and led journalism to focus more on the life stories of prisoners, portraying them to society as people who suffered and whose life stories were often very sad.
Evolution of Punishment: From Damiens to the Juvenile Code
2. Create a narrative about how punishment evolved from the punishment of Damiens to the stage of the Code of Young Offenders in Paris. What were the changes that occurred? And what were the reasons for those changes?
Damiens suffered physical and moral punishment; he was tortured and humiliated in front of society, in front of the church, in a public square. Under a monarchical ruler with absolute power emanating from God, his punishment was used to demonstrate the King’s power and instill fear in the populace to ensure their continued loyalty. Such punishment changed over time due to revolutionary ideas, the Declaration of Rights, and movements advocating for equality and fraternity. These changes led to a more refined punishment focused on the individual’s spirit and reason. With the creation of prisons, a schedule of activities was implemented, and the drum became a symbol of the routine that psychologically broke the detainee.
The Peronist Perspective on Punishment
3. Explain the vision of punishment during the Peronist period. Characterize and explain the changes during this stage and what was its symbolic and effective meaning.
The Peronist period marked a turning point in the treatment of prisoners. The idea of punishment changed outright, with the focus shifting to confinement with more humane treatment. The goal was to ensure that detainees could serve their sentences and emerge alive and improved. Roberto Pettinato, who had risen through the ranks from prison guard, spearheaded numerous changes, having formed emotional ties with the prisoners.
The changes were related to the abolition of the degrading prison uniform. Prisoners had felt like dogs or animals due to the uniform’s color. The closure of the Ushuaia prison brought inexplicable joy to some detainees, as they would no longer suffer the extreme cold and harsh labor. A peculiar workplace accident, which resulted in some prisoners losing part of their physical capacity, also caused a sense of relief among them. Shackles were removed, and guards were instructed to treat prisoners humanely.
Another significant change was the introduction of physical exercise and frequent family visits, allowing prisoners to serve their sentences in a better way and reintegrate into society. Sports facilities, such as courts and pools, were built, parties and meetings were organized, and intimate visits were permitted. The strict prison regime was relaxed.
However, political prisoners were reportedly subjected to violations.
The prison service was reorganized, mirroring the police hierarchy, with opportunities for advancement and numerous benefits. The Peronist government did what no one had done before: it took an interest in the lives of detainees, giving them hope that things were changing and that life outside would be much better.