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THE PRISON SYSTEM OF THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN MONARCHY – CASE STUDY OF THE ROYAL COURT PRISON IN OSIJEK

D. Matanovic, I. Josipovic

Abstract

In this paper, the authors analyzed the prison system of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, as well as the way of achieving the idea of rehabilitation within prisons. By a case study method on selected examples of inmates of the Royal Court prison in Osijek, the authors tested the thesis that prisons could not fully implement the two ways of achieving rehabilitation. The analysis showed that rehabilitation could not be achieved in prisons by way of education. The main role in achieving rehabilitation was taken over by prison work. The prison system reform started to gain effect in Austria since 1868 and in Croatia and Slavonia since 1878. This reform determined that one of the aims of depriving one of freedom would be prisoner rehabilitation which was supposed to facilitate the inmate’s return to freedom. It was achieved by mandatory education and prison work which could be organized within the penitentiary. However, education could not be organized within the prisons because they housed the inmates convicted for up to 6 months of prison. Due to that, prison work took over the education role because it enabled the inmates to learn new work skills or to further enable the existing ones. Inmates achieved a monetary profit from their work at the same time which they could use once they are free or to pay for the expenses of their incarceration. The rehabilitation element of prison work manifested in the achievement of new work skills which were supposed to make the inmate’s return to freedom easier. This means that the prison system of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy implemented the core ideas of progressive European prison systems.

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