The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-21
PRISON DISCIPLINE


several hundred prominent Americans from
various portions of the Union, together with
a number of Europeans distinguished for
their interest in the cause of prison reform,
has been in session for some days in Cincin-
natl, for the purpose of considering the diff
ferent systems of prison discipline, and form
ing correct judgment in regard to their
merits. The Pennsylvania system of sepa-
rate confinement does not seem to have
formed a prominent topic of discussion.
Notwithstanding its good results here, it con-
tinues to be comparatively unpopular in other
States. AS was to have been expected,
great diversity of opinion existed on nearly
all the disputed questions, but the passage of
the three following resolutions indicates the
opinion of majority of the convention on
the important topics to which they refer
wiz
ReSolped, That the best results Of prison discipline
are compatible with pecuniary self-support; buttha
such support is only partially attanable In juvenile
and reformatory institutions.
ResOtyeo, hat district prisons, intermediate be-
tween the State prison and the county jail are
necessary part OF complete prison SYSTEM and, in
the opinion of this congress, such district prisons
moi now exist.
ReSolved, That each system OF juvenile reforma-
tories mas ltS merits ana may De used TO adVantage
put this congress expresses no preference for either
the family or the cOngregate system nat the i'm
portant agency for reformation is found In warm
hearted clear-headed Christian men and women,
who, in the spirit OF Christ, WELD their personal in
1uence for this end
If the first of these resolutions embodes
sound doctrine, Pennsylvania taxpayers
might safely be relieved from burden which
is yearly becoming more and more grievous.
The Albany Penitentiary. the Detroit House
of Correction, and the Ohio State Prison are
not merely self-sustaining but sources of
profit; and if it be true that such pecuniary
exhibits are not incompatible with ''the best
results of prison discipline, there is no good
reaso why many thousands of dollars should
not be saved to our State and county treasures.
The Jealous advocates of the system of separate
conf lement, however, would take issue with
the convention on this point, and it may be
scarcely prudent to accept the judgment of
that body as conclusive.
The second resolution, favorable to the es-
tablishment of district prisons, intermediate
between State prisons and county jails, de-
serves great attention. The county jails of
many of the States, and especially of many
of the counties of Pennsylvania, are a re-
proach to the civilization of the age. They
are burlesques on the name of jails, and so
poorly construct ed that dangerous prisoners
can only be held in secure confinement by q
resort to cruel and inhuman restrictions.
Many of the counties are too poor to build or
maintain proper jails; and the system of in
termedate district prisons offers practical and
comparatively cheap method for a combina-
tion of their resources that will secure proper
places of confinement for all dangerous
criminals. Additional legislation on this
subject is greatly needed.
The third resolution, relating to the man.
agementof juvenile reformatories, was passed
unanimously. 1t expresses no positive
opinion of the respective merits of the con-
gregate and family systems. 1t substantially
means that the system is best which is best
administered, and this maxim might with
almost equal force be applied to the various
forms of prison discipline for adults.