The document provides an overview of the history and current state of corrections in the United States. It discusses how corrections has evolved from the colonial period, through the development of penitentiaries in the 18th-19th centuries, and the reformatory and community corrections movements of the 20th century. Currently, over 7 million Americans are involved in the corrections system through prisons, jails, probation, or parole. The document also presents frameworks for understanding corrections as a system and discusses ongoing challenges around rehabilitation versus punishment approaches.