F-YEAH HISTORY

A mid-Victorian depiction of the debtors' prison at St Briavels Castle A debtors' prison is a prison for people who are unable to pay debt. These prisons have been used since ancient times. Through the mid 19th century, debtors' prisons were a common way to deal with unpaid debt in Western Europe. Though increasing access and lenience throughout the history of bankruptcy law have rendered debtors' prisons irrelevant over most of the world, as of May 2013, they persist in countries such as the United States, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and Greece.

Prisoners at Coldbath Fields Prison during exercise time Coldbath Fields Prison (also known as the Middlesex House of Correction and Clerkenwell Gaol) was a prison in the Mount Pleasant area of Clerkenwell, London. Founded during the reign of James I (1603–1625), the prison was completely rebuilt in 1794 and extended in 1850. It was used to house prisoners on short sentences of up to two years. There were separate blocks for felons, misdemeanants and vagrants.

Last prisoners leave Alcatraz, March 21, 1963