Prison and Mental Institution Reform
Dorothea Lynde Dix (1802-1887) was an author, teacher and reformer. Her efforts on behalf of the mentally ill
and prisoners helped create dozens of new institutions across the United States and in Europe and changed
people’s perceptions of these populations.
In March of 1841, Dix entered the East Cambridge Jail. She had
volunteered to teach a Sunday School class for women inmates. Upon
entering the jail she witnessed such horrible images that her life, from that
point on, was changed forever. Within the confines of this jail she observed
prostitutes, drunks, criminals, retarded individuals, and the mentally ill were
all housed together in unheated, unfurnished, and foul-smelling quarters.
When asked why the jail was in these conditions her answer was, "the
insane do not feel heat or cold.”
Dorothea's views about the treatment of the mentally ill were radical at the time. The popular belief was that the
insane would never be cured and living within their dreadful conditions was enough for them. However
Dorothea, just by bettering the conditions of the inmates, showed people that mental illness wasn't all incurable.
She stated that "some may say these things cannot be remedied, these furious
maniacs are not to be raised from these base conditions. I know they are...I could
give many examples. One such is a young woman who was for years 'a raging
maniac' chained in a cage and whipped to control her acts and words. She was
helped by a husband and wife who agreed to take care of her in their home and
slowly she recovered her senses." Although Dorothea didn't know the mental
processes that were occurring within these individuals she knew that improving
their conditions wouldn't hurt them.
Once she had succeeded she traveled to other states and proceeded doing the
same process: extensive travel to jails and almshouses in a state, careful
description of conditions in jails and almshouses, and preparation of a document
comparable to the one which proved successful in Massachusetts (1982). In all
she played a major role in founding 32 mental hospitals, 15 schools for the feeble
minded, a school for the blind, and numerous training facilities for nurses. Her efforts were an indirect
inspiration for the building of many additional institutions for the mentally ill. She was also instrumental in
establishing libraries in prisons, mental hospitals and other institutions.
1. What made Dorothea Dix begin her campaign to reform prisons and the treatment of the mentally ill?
2. What was the goal of this reform movement?
3. What conditions was Dix fighting against? What was the traditional belief about the mentally ill?