Imagine a dark and damp dungeon, with cold stone walls. A faint smell of mildew wafts through the air. What prisons looked like in the old days. But how have times changed? The transformation from Steel Cell medieval hellholes and slums to the high-tech buildings of today is nothing less than remarkable.

Prisons were once more about punishment and less about rehabilitation. Imagine being thrown in a tiny cell, with just a straw-mattress and a bucket as company. These aren’t exactly five-star accommodations. These cells are meant to break down spirits, rather than to lift them.

The 18th century saw a shift in attitudes. Panopticon, the circular prison in which guards could observe prisoners without being noticed. Jeremy Bentham’s invention was revolutionary. The concept wasn’t limited to confinement. Instead, it focused on control and surveillance. Think Big Brother with less technology.

More changes were made in the 19th-century. Prisons began to reform inmates instead of just locking them up. The prison cells became tiny rooms with a single bed, toilet and sometimes a window. This was done to maintain the dignity of prisoners while still keeping them locked up.

As we move forward to the 20th-century, another big leap is made in terms of design philosophy. Prisons began to include communal areas, such as dining rooms and recreation yards. The idea behind it was simple – give inmates a chance to socialize and be physically active so they can reintegrate back into society.

Let’s not fool ourselves, though. Prison life today is far from easy. Modern cells are more secure and cleaner but still primarily designed for containment. Steel bars replaced the stone walls with construction techniques evolving along with materials.

There’s also technology, oh my! It’s everywhere: surveillance cameras, electronic locks, which would make Houdini out to be an amateur escape artist. And motion sensors, which can detect the smallest movement. It looks like something straight out of a sci fi movie!

In spite of these developments, or perhaps even because they exist, there is still a debate about what the prison should be all about: punishment? Or rehabilitation? Some believe harsh conditions can deter criminals, while others feel that humane treatment promotes reformation.

Norway’s Halden Prison looks more like a campus than an institution of correction. Inmates get private rooms with flatscreen TVs and access to music studios. The inmates can prepare their own meals and have access to kitchens. Gordon Ramsay would be proud. Critics call it too lenient. Proponents claim it dramatically reduces the recidivism rate.

Imagine the infamous Rikers island in America, where there is a lot of violence both between prisoners and their guards. This isn’t Club Med.

Where are we going from here? Do we keep on going down this road towards more humane living conditions or do revert towards harsher means?

There’s no doubt that prison cell designs have improved since the old days when stone walls ruled supreme. But, whether these changes really work remains a subject of debate.