William Penn is most directly responsible for the development of the pennsylvania system of corrections.
The first state jail system to advocate using hard labour in houses of correction instead of torture and mutilation as punishment for crimes was the Pennsylvania penal system, which began in 1682 under the direction of William Penn.
When Penn's penal code from 1682 was repealed, his aims were not carried out in a methodical manner. Because of this, prison work in Pennsylvania during the Colonial Period was essentially nonexistent. Penn's efforts were not in vain, nevertheless, since the penal code described in 1682 had an impact on Pennsylvania's laws and the development of prison labour across the country.
Philadelphia's Walnut Street Jail was built in 1773. When the Walnut Street Jail was opened, Penn's directive to build workhouses was reinstated.
