Who was John Howard?
John Howard was born September 2, 1726 in Lower Clapton in London, England. During travels he was imprisoned for six days in France which sparked the beginnings of his advocacy regarding prison conditions. In 1773 he took on the position of High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and soon after became shocked at the state of prisons throughout England. John Howard went on to publish, “The State of the Prisons”, in 1777 which included details on the prisons he visited, plans, maps and detailed instructions on essential improvements to be made.
