Why was the Don Jail built?

The Don was the fourth jail to be built in Toronto; it opened in 1864 to general approval. It was described as a “palace for prisoners,” based on the most progressive penal reform and architectural principles of the day. It never realized its potential.

What’s the oldest jail in Canada?

Ancienne Prison de L’Orignal Old Jail.

What happened to the Don Jail?

The jail was permanently shut down in 1977 and it wasn’t until 2013 that the facility re-opened as the Bridgepoint Administration Building.

What year was the Don Jail built?

and 1864
Designed in the Renaissance Revival style, the Don Jail was built between 1859 and 1864 by the architectural firm, William Thomas and Sons. It was constructed of brick from Toronto brickyards and stone from quarries along the Niagara Escarpment and in Ohio.

How many people were hung at the Don Jail?

Twenty-six men were hanged on the jail’s indoor gallows. The jail saw three double hangings: Roy Hotrum and William McFadden in August 1921; Leonard Jackson and Steven Suchan in December 1952; Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas on 11 December 1962.

What replaced the Don Jail?

the Toronto South detention centre
The old Don Jail building, finished in 1865, will be used as office space by Bridgepoint Health. The newer extension, built in the 1950s, will be torn down. On New Year’s Day, the Don closed on schedule and the Toronto South detention centre, designed to hold 1,650 inmates, stood empty.

Why did the Kingston pen close?

The federal government announced last year that it would be shutting down the aging maximum-security facility in Kingston , as a money-saving measure, as well as the Leclerc Institution in Laval, Quebec.

When was the last hanging at the Don Jail?

December 11, 1962
Fourteen years before the House of Commons officially abolished the death penalty, in 1976, the Don Jail played host to the last execution in Canada. On December 11, 1962, Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas were hanged together.

Who was Canada’s last hangman?

6, 1869 for the execution of Nicholas Melady, 23, scheduled for the following day. Melady’s execution is one of the most infamous in Canadian history as it was arguably Canada’s last public hanging.

Why was Arthur Lucas executed?

Arthur Lucas (December 18, 1907 – December 11, 1962), originally from the U.S. state of Georgia, was one of the last two people to be executed in Canada, on 11 December 1962. Lucas had been convicted of the murder of 44-year-old Therland Crater, a drug dealer and police informant from Detroit.

Why did Kingston pen close?

Is there corporal punishment in prisons?

Corporal punishment no longer exists in the legal systems of most developed nations of the world. The last floggings in the United States, for example, were carried out in the state of Delaware in 1952 (the practice was abolished there in 1972).

Can you tour the Don Jail?

There’s always a line-up at the Don Jail during special events, but you can take a self-guided tour there any day of the week during office hours.

When was the last execution by hanging in the US?

Delaware’s Billy Bailey was the last criminal to be hanged in the United States, in 1996. Bailey was just the third criminal to be hanged since 1965, the other two being Charles Rodman Campbell in 1994 and Westley Allan Dodd in 1993, both in Washington State.

How many people died in the Kingston Penitentiary?

Governor Nelson Rockefeller ordered that the prison be retaken by force: the result was 43 dead, 10 of whom were correctional officers. It was an utter disaster. But five months before Attica — on April 14, 1971 — the province of Ontario saw its own dramatic prison riot, replete with mayhem and murder.

How do you cane someone?

Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits (known as “strokes” or “cuts”) with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender’s bare or clothed buttocks (see spanking) or hands (on the palm). Caning on the knuckles or shoulders is much less common.