Imagine being sentenced not only to hard labor, but to public humiliation.
In 1786, Pennsylvania adopted what became known as the wheelbarrow punishment. People sentenced under the law had their heads shaved, wore brightly colored clothing, were chained together, and marched through public streets performing manual labor while onlookers jeered, mocked, and sometimes threw trash or stones.
Many believed public shame would discourage crime, but Dr. Benjamin Rush disagreed.
Rush argued that humiliation did not reform people, it harmed them. In his influential 1787 paper, “An Inquiry into the Effects of Public Punishment upon criminals and upon society,” he challenged the belief that public degradation made communities safer. Instead, he argued that punishment should encourage rehabilitation rather than reinforce shame.
Soon afterward, Rush helped organize what became the Pennsylvania Prison Society, bringing together civic and religious leaders committed to rethinking punishment in Pennsylvania.
Their advocacy helped convince lawmakers to repeal wheelbarrow punishment in 1789, making it one of the Prison Society's earliest reform victories.
More than two centuries later, the Pennsylvania Prison Society continues advocating for the health, safety and dignity of people in prison. By visiting people in prison and addressing concerns, shining a light on conditions, supporting family connection and smooth transitions home, we continue advocating for a Pennsylvania that protects both public safety and human dignity.
