The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-02-03
THE CAPITAL.
Especial Despatch by international Lin.

Especial despatch by International Line.
PROPOSED SYSTEM OF PRISON REFORM
AUGUSTA, Feb. 2-The report of the jail
committee who were appointed by the Cover
nor by order of the last Legislature, is briefly
and succinctly as follows: We propose to mod.
lfy our present Jail system thus 1st let district
be substituted for county iails, with power Of
transfer lodged in the Prison Inspectors or
some other competent hands, so that not only
Classification of prisoners in our jails can be
made but that there should be a graduation es-
tablished amOug the several jals, and thus the
hope OF promotion from one to the other be
held out as an inducement to good conduct;
trifiing privileges denied in the lower grades
being permitted in the higher. ID, we would
have House of Refuge established exclusive.
ly for women and an Industrial School for
Girls. Sd, into these places of confinement we
would introduce labor, not only to tighten the
burden to the counties, but also and mainly
that it might operate as a reformatory agent
upon the prisoner. We believe that under the
influence of regular habits. correct hours, diet
and sleep man who can supply the wants
of himself and family out OF Jail ought to be at
least self-supposting in confinement, and hope
that many wfOse ignorance Of letters aud lack
of skill in or of disposition to labor, Joined
with irregular habits have made them only a
burden to the community may become self-sus-
tanning. 4th, Under this treatment, with reg
MARTY in work, diet and habits, we think skill
would be generally given TO the workman, and
that the ignorant might be taught the elemen
tary branches of common school education.
and moral and religious instruction also be i'm
parted. 9th, TO carry on this reformatory work
with success, those who have shown criminal
disposition by repeatedly offending, ought to
be coL6ned for a sufficient length Of time to
permit this course of treatment to produce its
natural aud desired effect We therefore rec.
ommend longer sentences than are usually &C.
corded to such cases, and greater effort to learn
the previous history OF the criminal. that a
term of Imprisonment may be awarded propor-
tionate to his criminality. With the longer
term as above advocated we would couple the
right on the part Of the convert to shorten it
by good conduct, making his progress towards
this conclusion by steady promotion from class
to class, and prison to prison, as herein before
indicated. Finally, even after discharge so
obtained we would not relnquish all supervis-
Aou o'Oi thC Aau, WOulu UtiutaIu IL curing
the whole term of the original sentence, hold.
ing him liable until the expil alton of that time
to forfeit the abridgemeut Of his term and to
recommitment till its termination, not only for
positive crime but for such idleness, miscon-
duct and associations as in the judgment of cur
proper constituted tribunal evinces continued
criminal disposition.
RAILROAD MATTERS
The railroad committee held meeting this
afternoon and voted to lay the matter of the
petition of the Boston & Maine Railroad on
the table, to be taken up and disposed Of next
Thursday. They granted bill for charter
for railroad from Brooks to Bangor, and Or
dered leave to withdraw on the petition for
charter for railroad from Alfred to Wells;
also leave to withdraw on the petition for
charter for railroad from Smonton's Cove,
Cape Elizabeth, to connect with the Portland
q Rochester Railroad. The Portland, Rut-
land, Oswego & Chicago extension and charter
was assigned for next Tuesday.