William Brittin

American prison warden

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July 20, 2026

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William Brittin was a warden at Auburn State Prison in New York, which opened in 1816. He implemented a system that included solitary cells, a concept borrowed from the Pennsylvania system. Brittin designed a unique five-tiered cell block with small, individual cells. Prisoners worked in groups during the day but were confined to their cells at night. This system, along with strict silence and corporal punishment, aimed to reform offenders by separating them from societal disorder. However, after instances of mental illness and attempted escapes, the system was terminated.1

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Auburn State Prison
…cells, but in 1821 Warden William Brittin borrowed the concept of solitary cells from the so-called Pennsylvania system. Brittin designed a unique five-tiered cell-block of two rows of single cells, placed back to back in the centre of the building. Cells measured only 3.5 feet (1.06 metres) wide, 7.5 feet…
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…cells, but in 1821 Warden William Brittin borrowed the concept of solitary cells from the so-called Pennsylvania system. Brittin designed a unique five-tiered cell-block of two rows of single cells, placed back to back in the centre of the building. Cells measured only 3.5 feet (1.06 metres) wide, 7.5 feet…
Read More