A comprehensive survey of the history of the American criminal justice system was conducted and articles on criminal justice issues in 32 editions of Annals, published by the American Academy of Political and Social Science, were reviewed, Changes that have occurred in American prisons since 1870, when the American Prison Association (currently the American Correctional Association) was founded, include the growth of the reformatory movement in the United States; probation as a substitute for incarceration; establishment of the juvenile court; institution of supervised parole; gradual elimination of corporal punishment and degrading punishments; general acceptance of providing prison educational programs as remedial discipline; acceptance and use of an inmate classification system as a method of treatment; and establishment of special institutions for the mentally ill, retarded, and addicted. Other changes include establishment of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, adoption by legislatures in most States of a State-Use-Law which gave rise to prison industry, institution of work release and prerelease programs, adoption and revision of a Manual of Correctional Standards, and introduction of accreditation of institutions and programs. The author speculates that in the year 2012 prisons will still be crowded. 2 references.