Corrections_Today_Summer_2025_Vol.87_No.2

from the Corrections archives Today

In this special section, we explore the enduring relevance of past Corrections Today feature articles in shaping today’s correctional practices.

Yesterday and tomorrow Technology in 1900 and 2000 BY JOHN W. ROBERTS

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

A t the beginning of the 20 th century, the Bertillon system was the most advanced and reliable criminal identification system in general use. Using calipers, sliding compasses, and other instruments, Bertillon operators took measurements of inmates’ skulls, fingers, arms, and feet; classified the shape of inmates’ noses; described scars and marks; and noted other characteristics to ensure positive identification. Not to be confused with phrenology or Cesare Lombroso’s theories of skull shapes as indicators of character traits, the Bertillon system measured physical attributes, such as head width, that would not change over time in a mature adult. Photographs of inmates often were taken as part of the Bertillon process, although they were not considered necessary. Many corrections officials were apt to rely on Bertillon measurements more than photos, because they knew how easy it was for criminals to change their appearance. The Bertillon system was one of several emerg ing technologies that helped prison administrators

manage their institutions more effectively. Although of ten crude by today’s standards, these technologies were innovative for their time, reflected the movement toward greater professionalism and higher standards in the field of corrections, and brought about significant improve ments in inmate management as well as institutional safety and security. Similarly, prison administrators of the 21 st century will benefit from a whole new generation of technologies designed to enhance safety and security in the prison environment. The Bertillon System Vs. Fingerprinting The Bertillon system was developed by Alphonse Bertillon in 1873 for use by the French police and later adopted by law enforcement agencies in the United States and much of Europe. By the 1880s, the system was becoming common in U.S. prisons. The National Prison Association — forerunner of the American Correctional Association, and itself an example of the era’s heightened sense of professionalism in correc tions — was a strong exponent of the Bertillon system.

Corrections Today | Summer 2025

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