Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-23
For he Enquirer
UNPROFlTABLE INSTITUTIONS.


In thia age of Improvement, the subsct OF Psni.
tsniiriea ia not unworthy Of The nost profound con-
sdsration. More than sixty years have elapsed sint
P-unsylvans took the lead in l-gsstng on the sub.
i.c Virginia followed, and Was the first Stats that
actually erected building for Penitentiary. II
wss opened for uss in April lSO aud has since been
occupied a. such. Pennsy lvana alter experiences
Of hear thirty years upon common old prison. fit
ted up for Penitentary purposes adopted ntw
plan, and erected what has been called "the n,odei
prison of lie solitary SyStcm II Is the Eastern
Penirentiary at Philadelphia, and has been in u.e
thirty ysars. That State also erected, near Pitts.
burg, Prnitentary the plan OF the solitary sys
tenn which has in like manner been in use thirty
years. These two prisons have probably attained
their highest SUCCESS. New jersey adopted the soil
tsry SYSTEM and her fenhontiary naa been IN opera
ton near thirty yeurd.
New York on the contrary adopted the congregate
system by which the prisoners labor together in
shops, similar 10 the arrangement OF private manu-
featuring establishments. This system has been
generally adopted in the States Of the Union, where
Penentiaries have hesn introduced, with the exosp
ons sst ment;onsd.
The controversy which sprung up on the merits ot
these systems, did not fail TO occupy the thoughts,
and employ The pens OF many ~ise and good men,
both in Europe and America
Without reviewing 'he arguments on either side, II
il suficen TO remark. that the respective advocates
assumed for EACH that ts meriIs in regard TO the Oh
iscs and incidents of human punishment, were supe.
ror to the other-all taking for granted that either
was better than any of the old SYSTEMS. twas broad
ly contented or each, Isl, That it would insure TO
the community the highest protection against crime.
End That il would reform offenders and restore them
TO good citizenship. 3rd. That il would save the
,nss of human life and, 4th, That the labor OF hose
whose lives would otherwise be- taken, or whn would
otherwise be mmured in common jaiIs or dungeons,
would refund the expense of the establishments, and
thus crime would pay for its own correction
An experience OF rome fifty years of the c0ngrrgafe
.yslems and thirty Of the soifdry ought to develop
the Respective merits of the two, and give assurances
,f supsrorty IN either, BOTH TO the systems Tor
which they have been substituted. IL IL not, howev
.r the purpose III these REMARKS To examine very
minutely these propositions, but msrey IN cursory
manner TO call attention to some facts IN the workings
of the p-ni!eniRries not at all in accordance WIN
promises made when they were instituted.
ls. then OF the P-ntentiary at Name By ile report
fnr 1857 appears that the prisoners increased fpentg
j0ur IN the year. That the average number was lol.
The labor OF the prisoners produced (lncludng tees
of vsi,orsl 50, ,SlU % and yet the deficiency or ao
nal loss on the years operation, WIS IS I90 IL. De.
duct from the earning sl2 81 the amount ot visitors
fees and the product of labor will be ess than halt
the cost of supporting the prison. And the Warden
of this prison says that, up TO the present tne' u
never has supported itself. This point being conced'
I'd then that tbs prison must necessarily be an e1'
pens. TO the State, wiadom would seem TO dictate
that its expenses be kept within such limits as shai
comport with the times.
I'd. Ofthe Michigan Penentiary, i is reported Tor
1897, that ths prisoners Increased .1ty two ana al
The end ofthe year numbered AL The expenditures
incurred for the support Of The institution within ,hs
year amounted 10 So"'soo ~
The product OF labor Including visitors
nr;Sonsrs sgi7 5O s23 s99 Al
,o, ,.G,;, 500 BOB u
The State had appropriated to assist the nr'ltulIor
sos OQ0 leaving the bsancs 10 be provided i"r. Int
sssr.s of the oiiicer, and guards amounted tt
SI3aj6 II, coat of rstions $l6,32s 80 &c, &c
"a. The Prntentisty Of Ujo. one OF the best 'hsi
tutops of the kind in The United States, rom 'he
nor, for 1867 appears to have lost money in ths wear
np.rs,ions The expenditures amounted toS S'3'h4 d
The income from all sources tincludng
vsitors fees 81 2Ol 40 support Of United .,- -,
Siatcs prisoners 81 ,s1o oO) S'"'oo "
Deficit for The year $o'ioo 'c
Among the items Of expenditure are 'he sums I"
S,I ,S o. for salariea of officers and guards ana ra
inns &C prlsoners 2'2 ~ At the end OF The yea
.hs inmates numbered G08, An increase OF ten.
l. The report OF The Naryland Penltenlary IL"
1851. presents the manufacturing operations hs uh
nro6able TO the State. The deficit reported Tor iht
t.sr !. S26. lSy 9.
The Slate paid ont Of IFS treasury towards
salaries Of the officers Soo"o oo
But expenditures of a parma
nent character, on the buildings,
"a. fixtures Ac.were made amount.
ing 10 1'f"' ~ E, .o. -e