A Study of Prisons Focusing on Prison Officers and Inmates in the Meiji Period

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01273
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 05010:Legal theory and history-related
• Research Institution: Maizuru National College of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kodama Keiji 舞鶴工業高等専門学校, その他部局等, 教授 (10564966)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 監獄 / 行刑史 / 内務省 / 典獄 / 警察監獄学校 / 自由刑

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study attempts to capture the development of the prison system in the Meiji period by focusing on prison officers, inmates, and the format of various documents used to understand them.
As a result, it was found that from around 1890, the elements required of prison officers changed and the specialization was promoted. In addition, since around this time, prison officers in the field began to demand improvements in forms and treatment through specialized magazines dealing with prisons and a network of prison officers.
The research leader believes that the modernization of Japanese prisons has advanced since the 1890s, and this research reinforces this view in terms of the policies for the promotion of prison officers, the activities of prison officers, and changes in document formats.

Free Research Field

日本法制史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、明治期における日本の監獄制度の展開を、当該期における官吏のキャリアや学識、その採用や昇進のルール、さらには被収容者を把握するための各種書式に着目して追ったものである。
従来、1890年代以降の監獄行政を説明する際には、ドイツ監獄学の継受と、内務省主導での監獄運用の統一に力点が置かれていたが、本研究では、その背後にある担い手の変化、特にこれまで捕捉しきれていなかった、監獄改良をめぐる現場の動きを捉えることができた。
本研究で採用した、「担い手」に着目して制度の変更・展開を論じる手法は他の領域にも応用可能で、隣接諸分野との対話可能性をもつ成果といえるように思う。