It is 1787, in the home of Benjamin Franklin, where a group of powerful Philadelphians held in high esteem have gathered to deliberate on a very pressing matter . They discuss current penal institutions established in America and Europe. It appears that institutions in both countries are known for their appalling conditions. Benjamin Franklin and his colleagues set out to change the course of prison history. Their plan is to create a prison system based entirely on reform and enlightenment rather than punishment and misery. They believe that prisoners should repent and seek God to help them learn from their mistakes, hence the name penitentiary. After many years, the men finally succeeded and the Eastern State Penitentiary was opened in 1829. America was in a time of reform which was evident by the opening of such a diverse prison. But no matter how much Eastern State Penitentiary claims to be opposed to torture and harsh conditions, it was after all a prison. From the outside, Eastern State Penitentiary looked wonderful and sensational, but what was happening inside those massive walls was something else entirely. Life at Eastern State Penitentiary was indescribable due to the cell life, illness, and treatment the inmates had to endure. Besides the burden of being in prison, inmates at Eastern State Penitentiary experienced another downfall, the endless, terrible cell-living conditions they had to endure. At first, each cell housed only one prisoner and was equipped with central heating, running water, flush toilets, and a skylight (Eastern State). The public marveled at this fact because Andrew Jackson, the President of the United States at the time, was not even a...... middle of paper...... building layout or recognition of the different guards (Woodham, Internet). In 1913, the Mental Health Board intervened and advised the penitentiary to change its punishment policy (Eerie History). Board of Health officials felt that the methods used to reform inmates were not reforming them, but doing just the opposite. These methods were found to lead to extreme anger, deep depression, and actually made inmates even more likely to commit another crime (Eerie History). Doctors at Eastern State Penitentiary responded to these accusations with absurd excuses as to why inmates went crazy (Eastern State). This fact alone provides evidence that penitentiary officials knew what they were doing was wrong and therefore made false excuses to cover up the mistreatment of inmates...