Symposium participants try to explain changes in penal philosophy in order to increase knowledge and promote further research on the origin and development of contemporary thought and practice. They do not imply that all historical changes have been beneficial; some argue that changes were for the worse and that society still suffers from questionable penal policy decisions made years ago. The presentations' general theme is that the theoretical foundation for the penitentiary movement evolved from the basic tenets of Lockean political philosophy; that these Lockean principles were applied to penal philosophy most prominently by Ceaser Beccaria; and that the Beccarian application, complemented by the prevailing philanthropical mood of the late 18th century, spawned parallel movements in the United Kingdom and the United States. The thesis argues that there were distinctly practical reasons for the adoption of the penitentiary concept by the two countries; that social, economic, and political differences between them gave impetus to different disciplines within the penitentiary; and that changes in the administration of penitentiaries during the 19th century were distinctly pragmatic, transcending any predetermined penal philosophy. Moreover, it is contended that the Gladstone Committee Report, a document hailed as the point of departure for the modern corrections era, was little more than the preceived truths of 19th century penal history. Topics of individual symposium papers include the emergence of the penitentiary concept in Great Britain, Anglo-American penology in transition, and the debate on penal goals. The papers provide 349 footnotes. (Author abstract modified)