“Does Capital punishment tend to the security of the people? By no means. It hardens the hearts of men, and makes the loss of life appear light to them; it renders life insecure, inasmuch as the law holds out that Property is of greater value than life.”
- Elizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Fry was a Quaker who became famous for her work to reform the prison system in Britain in the early nineteenth century. Her contribution to society has "stood the test of time". After visiting London's notorious Newgate prison in 1813, the banker's daughter became not just the UK's most important woman penal reformer, but Europe's chief campaigner for inmates' rights. By her example she inspired other women to play a fuller role in society: it was unusual for women to have a voice outside the home. It was also unusual for a Quaker to be so prominent, because at that time the Quaker movement was going through a 'quietist' phase, and was very inward looking.
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