New-York tribune., 1871-01-16
PRISON REFORM.

MEMORIAL OF THE NEw-YoRK PRISON AsooOlA-
TION TO GOV. HOFFMAN-PAsr, PRESENT,
AND PROPOSED MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE
PRIsONs-STATISTICS, ETC
The Prison Association OF the State OF New
York has presented a memorial to Goy Hoffman. who
has transmitted it TO the Legislature. This memorial
vir,vs the state Prison system since its adoption and
urges an alteration The Association numbers many of
the best names the State The officers as follows:
PreSS9 David Wolf Vice T w bsfss Efs
sst'9R GOu chsrle. f9er CoroPS3dns 5sSrsa ,a0s
esq William G. 6man Lrgeetye Compute m n w
Rsser pi S,,cB Gutter PS pn1ise John W. Klmond
WIN Fe Atey H. Green Rensselaer, Haven, & B h'TSgs
NcBarpey Theo W Morris samuel osseol D p Gesrg D Phps
c.air Touscy. James H. Titus
The remedy which the Association proposes is a rad
cal one involving entire change in the organization
Of the government of the prisons Their examination
has extended over whole period Of the existence OF
the present form of that government. They say:
BY the Constitution, all the State Prisons are put
wholly under the government OF three Inspectors who
hold Office for three years, and elected every
year and who supcrnend the State Prisons and appoint
all the officers therein They are called Inspectors, but
are n fact governors OF the prisons and controllers OF
the system subject to no supervision inspection,
cept such the Legislature may direct and that of the
imperfect power given to the Prison Association Every
year thcm is thrown into the OF party poll
tics. They have appointing power OF about 200 suD
OrdlnatS, 10 whom about SZOOVJ year is pdlu III ea
res and they are thus q political partisan body IN
der the former Constitution, the clerk Of each prison.
whose duty TO keep the accounts was not as n0W
appointed by the Inspectors but derived his Office from
the Governor and Senate and being thus independent OF
the InspectOrs constituted check upon them ana In
some degree supervising power But under the present
system even that supervision is There is no check
against favorism, and very difficult means of detecting
or punising it, and security that the accounts amu-
ally rendered are correct TO justify this action and to
induce the Legislature and the people to adopt the
desired reform the following facts are submitted because
il believed that they fairly show the workings OF that
system now continued in this State for nearly quarter
OF century
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION.
Under the present system it has been cardinal prnc
pe as had been for years previously that the State
Prisons should made sesupportng 1t was not seen
how 1000 or 5000 adults, most of them ablebodied,
should not able their support when that sup
port scarcely exceeded 500 year. and at one time
not more than 500 each person The effort however
during the whole OF the last twenty-five years. has been
failure and is year after year, becoming sign ally
and disasifOusly 30.
The following is table OF the number OF prisoners AT
the Dc ginning ana the end OF tie present system;
fSfS. 1869. 1SfS. 1869
Auburn az you AS um lnot uu' until 'esSl.' 90
sing sing tVf ltki5
Female..... bi ~ Ioa': ::..'''',Il1S %'s'-
Ciaon.............. IL 54 Increase, II 9 pei cent
E-penfi'lr,s Nor ne s1r< period
ISfS. etS69. ISiS. 1859.
Ar-.rp.e eeisi al i7iol5 81 s2l749i 50 s879Zl9 2G
Clinton H.5i0 l6 37.0) 20 Increase 800 per cent
The following shows the condition of affairs from the
beginning of the 81 stem TO the present day: