Litchfield enquirer., 1845-08-28

tuen nave rlgnt 10 enseI upDu thS ptSWisSsS tais Gaoler could at once order off all suspected per. cons who might otherwise lodge there, to aid the prisoners in escaping.
 The present bar room is a wooden addition on the north side of the main front building, and is 3l l-2 feet long, east and west, by 13 feet north and south. It can be easily converted into a con- venient kitchen and buttery for the Keeper, and with the other rooms in the House, there will be abundant room for the accommodation of himself and family.
 The two upper rocms in the Sd and brick story of the prison never having been finished or used, may, as before suggested, be finished and preserv- ed one for debtors, and the other for female pris oners, or for Hospital, if necessary. r'-
 The employment of the prisoners at the other prisons, on this plan, in Hartford, New Haven, Norwich and Brooklyn, has been that of making Baskets, and closing the legs of coarse Boots, and pursued with profit to the Prison.
 In all the Prisons on the improved plan, the ance received from the State Treasury, for board of Prisoners, we are informed, has been sufficient to pay the salary of the Keeper and his family. and all expenses attending the management and SUD- port of Prisoners, and left surplus in the Coun- ty Treasury. of from $500 to $12OO
 But the profit is comparatively of small conse- quence, when we take into consideration the mor- al result of Gaol and Work House on the plan proposed. To use the language of another Report |: " Here each prisoner will be confined to his own separate cell. He has no intercourse with his fel low prisoners. The old and hardened criminal cannot disseminate the poisoned influence of his evil habits and long practised villainy into the mind of the juvenile delinquent--and in the soli- tude of his lonely cell, even he, perhaps, may be induced to reflect upon his career of vice, and to make good resolutions for the future; while the prisoner, new to crime, separated from the conta. gous influence and teachings of the old and ob- stinate offender, feeling the unhappy consequent ccs to himself attendant upon his alteration from virtue and breach of the laws of the land, may we hope, be reclaimed, and at the expiration of his sentence, go out upon the world reformed man."
 This plan will produce complete separation of the eprisoners-soitary con6nement-easy and more
  arrangedfor labor-reduced expenses of guarding and examining the Gaol-increased ventilation and light-cool ill summer-easily and economically warmed in winter-dimnished danger or possibil- ty of burning the Gaol-and the repayment of a large portion of the expenses of the Prisoners by the avails of their lab or.
 In cases of convictions by Justices of the Peace, the towns for long time, have been, and still ale, bound to pay the expenses of trial, conviction and commitment And it has too frequently been the practice for the magistrate or other public officer to discharge the delinquents convicted of small of fences, upon giving their notes, rather than com- init them. and thereby create bill of costs against the town-or, if committed to Prison, lney are too 7oflen discharged immediately upon the suggestion of the Selectmen of the town and thus they are set at liberty, again to trespass the lawsof tlle land with more boldness, and less fear of punish ment than before The consequence is, that ma ny provoking offences, highly injurious 10 persons and property, go unpunished-many of our whole some laws are daily violated, and their violation suffered to pass without prosecution.
 Since the suggestion has been made, of an alte- ration of the present Prison buildings, there seems to be but one opinion expressed on the subject, and in which we concur, viz That it is for the interest of the County, and the duty of the Coun- ty Commissioners, Gin whom the whole power is vested,) to proceed as early as practicable, to make and complete the proposed alteration and improvement, and to introduce therein the system of labor and discipline, successfully in use in several other Counties of the State. .g ,,
 Respectfully submitted,
 E.RASTUS LYMAN, }
 SETH P. BEERSs Committee.
 DAVID c. SANFORD, @
 Litchfeld, August 2Oth, 1s45.