Dorothea Dix was a key contributor to the prison reform movement. She visited England to recover from tuberculosis and she was inspired by what she saw there. She believed inmates deserved better treatment than what they were getting. She visited jails and almshouses in order to compose a document she later gave to the Massachusetts legislature. This document won her support and set funds aside for the expansion of the Worcester State Hopsital. She was also known to contribute to the better treatment of the mentally ill.

Eliza Farnham was also a strong believer in prison reform. She was appointed the prison matron of Sing Sing Prison in 1844. First, she removed the silence rule, added an educational program, and advocated luxuries such as decorations and leisure and recreational activities.

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