This article explores the nature of power and control under the New Poor Law to better engage with the Victorian approach to discipline and punishment in ‘closed’ institutions, such as workhouses. Through the mechanism of an empirical case study it will illustrate that, far from being static, approaches to punishment evolved considerably over time. The article employs sophisticated record linkage work, at the local and national level, to analyse a complex case of power, control, abuse and neglect involving women and children inmates. The study will hence challenge the theoretical constructs of punishment and discipline promoted by Foucault by focusing on the actual lived experience of female inmates in mid-nineteenth century Bedfordshire. It provides new evidence that the reality of law and order for paupers could be far removed from a strict disciplinary regime, underpinned by rigid rules and regulations and augmented by clearly defined and executed roles. For these women and children, the actual experience was far more complex and subtly expressed. It is, therefore, as much a refined case study analysis about abuse and neglect as it is a micro study about punishment. It is a story about the exploitation of power to control the workhouse population; the impact of the absence of power and the considerable and sophisticated agency employed by one of the female inmates at the centre of the events.

中文翻译：

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贝德福德郡霍恩斯的索菲亚·希斯菲尔德：惩罚受害者还是维克多？

本文探讨了新济贫法下权力和控制的性质，以更好地参与维多利亚州在“封闭”机构（例如济贫院）中的纪律和惩罚方法。通过实证案例研究的机制，它将说明惩罚方法远非静态，而是随着时间的推移发生了很大的变化。本文在地方和国家层面采用复杂的记录关联工作来分析涉及妇女和儿童囚犯的权力、控制、虐待和忽视的复杂案例。因此，该研究将通过关注 19 世纪中叶贝德福德郡女性囚犯的实际生活经验，挑战福柯提倡的惩罚和纪律的理论结构。它提供了新的证据，表明对于穷人来说，法律和秩序的现实可能远离严格的纪律制度，以严格的规则和条例为基础，并通过明确定义和执行的角色加以加强。对于这些妇女和儿童来说，实际经历要复杂得多，而且表达得更巧妙。因此，它既是关于惩罚的微观研究，也是关于虐待和忽视的精细案例研究分析。这是一个关于利用权力控制济贫院人口的故事；缺乏权力的影响以及事件中心的一名女囚犯所雇用的庞大而复杂的机构的影响。实际经历要复杂得多，而且表达得更巧妙。因此，它既是关于惩罚的微观研究，也是关于虐待和忽视的精细案例研究分析。这是一个关于利用权力控制济贫院人口的故事；缺乏权力的影响以及事件中心的一名女囚犯所雇用的庞大而复杂的机构的影响。实际经历要复杂得多，而且表达得更巧妙。因此，它既是关于惩罚的微观研究，也是关于虐待和忽视的精细案例研究分析。这是一个关于利用权力控制济贫院人口的故事；缺乏权力的影响以及事件中心的一名女囚犯所雇用的庞大而复杂的机构的影响。