The panoptical design was developed by which prison reformer?

The panoptical design was developed by which prison reformer?

• A. Bentham
• B. John Howard
• C. Cesare Beccaria
• D. Elmira Reformatory founder

Answer: (A)

The panoptical design is a lighthouse example of surveillance-based control in prisons, conceived by Jeremy Bentham. He proposed a circular prison layout with a central watchtower, so a single guard could observe all inmates without them knowing when they were being watched. That arrangement was meant to induce self-discipline and constant vigilance, shaping behavior through the possibility of being watched at all times. John Howard pushed for better conditions and reforms in general, but he didn’t design the Panopticon. Cesare Beccaria focused on criminal law reform and deterrence rather than prison architecture. The Elmira Reformatory founder, while influential in rehabilitation, didn’t create the panoptical structure. So the designer of the panoptical concept is Jeremy Bentham.

The panoptical design is a lighthouse example of surveillance-based control in prisons, conceived by Jeremy Bentham. He proposed a circular prison layout with a central watchtower, so a single guard could observe all inmates without them knowing when they were being watched. That arrangement was meant to induce self-discipline and constant vigilance, shaping behavior through the possibility of being watched at all times. John Howard pushed for better conditions and reforms in general, but he didn’t design the Panopticon. Cesare Beccaria focused on criminal law reform and deterrence rather than prison architecture. The Elmira Reformatory founder, while influential in rehabilitation, didn’t create the panoptical structure. So the designer of the panoptical concept is Jeremy Bentham.