狱制改良活动是在理论因素、实践因素、直接因素和根本因素共同作用下兴起的，标志着中国监狱现代化转型的开端。狱制改良活动以建筑改良为首要问题，明确“以日为师”的目标后，促成了放射式监狱布局的建造，这一选择的内在动力与现实需要，可从圆形监狱、放射形监狱的思想基础中寻找根据。清末狱制改良对放射式监狱布局的选择，不是简单向外国学习的结果，而是社会巨变对监狱建筑提出了具体要求，该要求投射到放射式监狱布局之上，这个过程展现了与中国现实需要相适应的规律。

The modernization of Chinese prison started from the prison reform, which arose under the joint action of theoretical factors, practical factors, direct factors, and fundamental factors. With building improvement as the primary problem, the reform activities promoted the construction of the radial prison layout after clarifying the goal of learning from Japan; the internal motivation and practical factor of this choice might be traced to the ideological foundation of circular prison and radial prison. The prison reform in late Qing Dynasty chose the radial layout, which was not the result of simply learning from foreign countries, but was due to the specific requirements for prison buildings brought by social changes. The requirements were reflected in the radial prison layout. This process showed the law that the prison layout should be in line with the practical needs of China.