Which of the following are primary characteristics of the Pennsylvania System?

• A. Solitary confinement, focus on reflection, religious study, silent labor
• B. Congregate labor during the day
• C. Public schooling
• D. Parole-based rehabilitation

Answer: (A)

The Pennsylvania System is defined by keeping inmates isolated from each other to prompt reflection and moral reform. In practice, prisoners lived in solitary cells, performed labor in silence, and had opportunities for religious study and contemplation, all aimed at inducing penitence and self-improvement without social contact. The option that includes solitary confinement, a focus on reflection, religious study, and silent labor matches this separate-system approach exactly. The other ideas reflect features associated with different prison models or modern practices—congregate daytime labor aligns with the Auburn system, public schooling and parole-based rehabilitation are not characteristic of the original Pennsylvania System.