Bentham, Jeremy (1748–1832)

Jeremy Bentham, credited for conceptualizing the “roundhouse” panopticon prison, was a philosopher and essayist whose contributions to criminal justice theory over 60 years extended far beyond his prison designs. A prodigious, even obsessive, author, Bentham wrote on numerous topics spanning criminology, moral philosophy, law, and politics. Born of wealthy parents in London, he studied to be a lawyer like his father and grandfather. However, he eventually discarded this plan and instead began to write social and political critiques. His wealthy background and a later substantial inheritance allowed him to pursue his interests in relative comfort.

Bentham wrote during a time of social upheaval, both in Britain and on the continent. The French and U.S. revolutions, expanding British imperialism, and the problems of crime in England in addition to what Bentham viewed as a breakdown in the moral fabric of society and law, stimulated much of his work. Considered both a philosophical and political radical, many of his reformist ideas were not accepted until the early 19th century.