How did prisons develop

Prisons have developed as part of society since urbanism began by about 5000 years ago. The concept of punishment has shaped how prisons have been used by society, at times acting more like a holding area for criminals before punishment, while at other times they have been used to reform criminals. The use of prisons has shifted as societies have shifted their perception of justice over the centuries, where prisons were often the most clear physical manifestation of these philosophical shifts.

Ancient Origin

The first recorded prisons occurred in southern Mesopotamia during the time of Ur-Nammu, who was a king of the Ur III state at around 2000 BCE. The king was attributed with a law code, which spelled out the types of crimes people were put in prison for. This included kidnapping and extortion.