Elizabeth Fry made an impact in crime and punishment. She was a Quaker and a reformer (which basically means she was willing to believe new things that benefited others, quite modern ideas during the 18th and 19th century).
She was a wealthy child born into the Gurney family that were heavily involved with banks. At the age of 18 she was inspired by an American Quaker who later motivated Fry to help the less fortunate, she began helping the poor, comforting them and being all round generous, similar to a modern day Robin Hood, without the title of an outlaw.
She was prompted to visit Newgate Prison and there she made the discovery on how awful prisons were. This led her to fight for prisoners rights, for those that were innocent and guilty. She changed the way prisons were and could potentially be the reason prisoners today have the rights they do. Although prison is not a nice place to be and have to rehabilitate in, it works and they have good facilities, some better than real homes. However the argument now is whether prisoners have an easy life, easier than tax paying citizens and whether we have taken human rights a step too far?
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