 The Muslim prisoner was brought into the territory of the Pechenegs, where he taught and converted individuals to Islam.In the United States, early colonists originated the concept of the penitentiary as a place where inmates would demonstrate their penance and remorse for their crimes through prayer and reflection.English prison chaplains also heard confessions from condemned prisoners, some of which were published – for example, the 18th century "Ordinary of Newgate's Account".