New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-01
PRISON DISCIPLINE.

PRISON DISCIPLINE.
The late discussion at Albany between the
Prison Association and the authorities of the
State Prisons attracted considerable attention,
| and deserves thoughtful consideration.
/. The general Prison Law makes it
| the duty Of the Inspectors "tO cause to he
erected in each of the State Prisons of this
| Estate, separate rooms or cells. not less IN
| "their dimensions, in the clear, than 096 cubic
"feet,n for the separate Imprisonment of con-
yicts found incorrigibly disobedient" Twenty
two years this act has remained a dead letter
in the statute book of the State. The report
of the late Conference states that all its MEM
bers agreed and even insisted on
"the urgent necessity" for the immediate
erection of these punishment cells. In
this opinion we entirely concur. The
percentage of cOnvcts who give trouble
in prison, and especially those who commit
grave offenses against the discipline, is com
paratvcly small. Probably half dozen In the
hundred would be liberal estimate. Even in
the late revolt at Sing Sing, in which several
hundred cOnvicts took part, only thirty were
singled out for punishment 1t is plain, there
fore that if q very few of the worst men
should be segregated from the mass, their alb
sencc would be an immense relief. There are
many things forbidden in prison simply be-
cause, if allowed, the privilege might be
abused by bad men; and some of the most
irritating of these restraints might be abol-
ished if n few mschievous men were
removed. The multiplication of conventional
offenscs-mdld proh6ita, and not mala per Sc
is ever injurious to prison discipline and rcfor-
nation. The use of the punishment cells
would reduce this class of ofenses, and mate
rally promote the higher objects which Ought
ever TO be kept in view We say, therefore,
let the cells be built with As little delay as
possible. This should be one of the acts of
the next Legislature
III. An important proposition was submitted
by DR.. Grscom. the converse of what is com
monty known as the Communication law, which
shOrtens q prisoners term of sentence for good
conduct. DIR. Grscom's proposes to lengthen
the sentence for bad conduct. Mr. Haynes.
Warden of the Massachusetts State Prison, has
advocated this plan in several of his late re-
ports, and also in his interesting volume ent-
tied Pictures from Prison Life so that it is
not altogether novel. For unexceptonable
conduct and industry he would give the pris-
oner one good mark each month, and for the
opposite qualities one bad mark. For every
good mark a number of days equal to the
number of years for which he was committed
not, however, in any case to exceed ten-would
be deducted from his sentence and for every
bad mark the same number of days would be
added. Such is the general principle, and it
is certainly worthy of trial.
ILL., 1t appeared from the testimony of Mr..
Haynes that an occasional period of indul-
gencc and relaxation, and even of free social
intercourse, may he granted to prisoners, not
only without injury to discipline. but with
decided advantage. On all public holidays,
since 1863, he has let the whole body of pris-
oners into the yard for some two hours, and
given them the broadcast liberty for converse
ton and amusement These holiday rccre-
ations continued for five years with
out authority of law; but SO well salts
fled had the Legislature become of their
utility that, by an act passed last Winter, it
gave legal sanction to the usage, and not only
so, but it authorized the prison Authorities TO
increase at their discretion the frequency of
such indulgcnces. AS one result it is found
that the men work with greater alacrity and
accomplish moro in n given time than before.
Indeed Mr.. Haynes stated that his prisoners
work quite as well us any equal number of
men ordinarily do outside of prison. TO
the category of these rcaxatons belong
the annual Winter courses of popular and sci
entifc lectures established some four years
ago in the Charlestown Prison. Both lectures
and holidays prove efficient disciplinary agents.
Mr.. Haynes even declared that he believed
that prisoner would sooner have his sentence
heightened week than be deprived of n single
attendance on either of these indulgcnccs.
Moral forces have still some power over even
hardened criminals.
". In the Charlestown Prison the sentiments
of manhood and self-iespect are scdulously
cultivated We cite this statement for the
purpose of referring to a single agency en-
ployed to this end, Wis the adjustment of
the old particoloIed prison dress, and the sub
sttution of % plain citizens suit This was
was done five years ago in Massachusetts, and
the example has since been followed by the
State Prisons of Rhode Island and Wisconsin,
and the Albany Penitentiary. In all these in
sttutions, the effect according 90 tho test
mony is most happy Why should tho old
dress not be abolished in our own State Prisonsf
The law says that the convicts shall be- sup
piled with clothing Of "A coarse material.
To this the authorities have added that it shall
be clumsy made, bo distinguished by stripes
of whiso and black. and be odious TO tho view