Unbound: A Collection of Indiana Stories

Behind Bars: Prisons and Reform in Indiana

Indiana Historical Society Season 3 Episode 10

This episode Casey and Regan are on the lam exploring the histories of prisons and prison reform in Indiana. Regan begins by telling us the story of two prison reformers Rhoda Coffin and Sarah J. Smith who helped to found the first women's prison in Indiana; which spurs a conversation into the complexities of historical figures. Casey dives into the fascinating history of the Indiana Boys' School a prison for boys ages 8 - 21 which operated in Indiana between 1867 and 2005.

Rhoda Coffin and the Darker Side of Prison Reform
The Indiana Boys' School

Further Information:
Indiana Women's Prison, 1914
Indiana Women's Prison Cell
Indiana Women's Prison Kitchen

Indiana Boys School
Indiana Boys School Room
Hospital at the Indiana Boys School, Plainfield, Indiana
Officers and Ladies, Indiana Boys School, Plainfield 1932