The need to create prisons in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) arose as the soldiers' discipline deteriorated over the course of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
The first Israeli military prison was built on the ruins of al-Shaykh Muwannis (now North Tel Aviv), under Captain Yoel Caspi.
Prison Six was conceptualized and originally commanded by Major Yaakov Markovitz, after he was taken under the wing of then-chief military police officer, Yosef Pressman.
The orders defined the permissible chores for prisoners, maximum work hours, punishments and basic conditions.
In 1994, Nir-Am Goldbroom, soon to be chief MP officer, opened the doors of Prisons Four and Six to the media, which significantly improved conditions following numerous complaints from civilians (and reduced the number of escapees to zero, from 14 in 1990).
[7] The main types of prisoners in Israeli military jails are: Because all military prisoners in Israel, excluding Palestinian detainees (who have a different set of rights/responsibilities, derived from the Third Geneva Convention) are subject to IDF law, they receive the same rights and responsibilities as all other IDF soldiers, for example, the right to three meals per day, or the responsibility of following all orders from superiors (except those deemed clearly illegal).
However, plans are underway to change this, as ordered by Chief Military Police Officer Brigadier General Ronny Benny.
As of August 2007, madakim are no longer considered IDF instructors, but have been given a unique aiguillette and pin.