Wisconsin State Reformatory

by Michael E. Telzrow, Neville Public Museum of Brown County

Overview

In 1897, the Wisconsin state legislature approved the creation of the Wisconsin State Reformatory on a 200-acre site between Green Bay and De Pere. It was born during a period of profound change when liberal reformers began to question the traditional punitive approach employed in American prisons. The result was a shift from a punishment-based system to one that favored progressive rehabilitation within the framework of the traditional prison model. Elmira, New York, may have served as the reformatory model, but no other state embraced the idea more fully than Wisconsin. For more than 50 years, the Wisconsin State Reformatory remained faithful to the reform mission, adapting to changes when necessary but always maintaining a strong link to its past.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439639382
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	02/15/2010
Series:	Images of America Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	43 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Michael E. Telzrow graduated from the University of Central Florida and earned a master's degree in history/museum studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has developed over 20 museum exhibits covering a wide range of subject matter, including the history of the Wisconsin State Reformatory. The author of a number of articles on history, culture, and politics, Telzrow serves as executive director at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay.