Penal Institutions

"American reform movements between 1820 and 1860 reflected both optimistic and pessimistic views of human nature and society."

The penal institutions show us the optomistic and pestimistic views of human nature and society brilliantly.

It shows the pessimistic view on the 1820-60's society by showing that people thought that criminals and mentally challenged people could have a place where they could be dealt with in the ways that the needed to be. In the cases of penitentiaries they took the criminals and tried to help them with their problems instead of just throwing them in jail. If a criminal had anger problems or problems with drinking then they would take them and try to rehabilitate those problems.

You also the the pessimistic view when they take the mentally challenged and throw them in asylums. This show that the people are somewhat afraid of them and do not know what to do. Since they are different they have no clue how to deal with them they take them and lock them away and do not deal with them. This is ridiculous because they are the same as me and you and need to be treated that way, not as an attractment for people to watch.