Department of Corrections is an agency of the state that is responsible for the supervision and management of convicted felons. The Department of Corrections allowsthe protection of the community by operating safe, secure facilities that keep offendersunder firm, fair practices. There is a wide range of treatment including educational andvocational programs that help the offenders become rehabilitated citizens. Corrections hasbeen around for centuries. The corrections history of New York and of Utah are just afew pieces of a huge puzzle of corrections. “That human institutions require periodicredesign, if only because of their tendency to decay is not a minor fact about them, noreasily understood. Taken the span of history, there is no more important lesson to belearned.”The history of New York’s Corrections starts with the Fort Amsterdam Era. FortAmsterdam was erected in 1625. Its facilities were dungeon-like. Its prisoners includedunruly soldiers, native people that were uncompliant, and debtors. Next came StatesHuys. It was built in 1642. This Corrections facility also served as a tavern, a court, anda city hall. In 1699 Stats Huys was condemned as unfit and could no longer be used as ajail and judicial center. Next the New York City Hall was constructed. Many dangerous prisoners werekept in the basement until they had their court proceedings. But in 1700 the basement’ssecurity was proved to be inadequate, so guard’s were hired to watch the prisoners. In1759 the first facility was built specifically for use as a jail. It was named New Goal. Most of the jail housed civilian lawbreakers except for a few debtors and paupers. 1775brought about the construction of a workhouse known as Bridewell. It was to be placedin New York City Hall Park but its construction was interrupted by the War forIndependence. In 1788 the New York State Legislature enacted a law that named twelveCommissioners...
