, 1872-11-05

PRISON REFORM,
Report of DR.. Wines on the Iuterna.
Ii0na1 COngrets.

Report of DR.. Wines on the Interna-
tiona1 Congress.
The following report is to be presented to
President Grant by Dr.. Wines, Commissioner Of
the United States to the International Peniten-
tiary Congress-, which met in London last sum-
mer:
s'To the President Of the United States:
sIR: The undersigned has the honor to re-
port that the international Congress on the
Prevention and Repression Of Crime, including
your E1celloncy, under authority Of joint
resolution Of Congress, was pleased to commits
sion him as representative Of the United
States, opened its sessions in London on
the Sd day Of July last, and closed them on
the 18th Of the same month.
81 This movement, lnauSurated by the United
States, has proved complete SUCCESS, and is
destined to proluce results as wide az they will
be benefcent& More than twenty nationaities
were officially represented in the Congress by
delegates named by their respective Govern
ments, and fully one-half Of the States Of the
sioners appointed by their several executives,
under legislative authority. Besides the of1icia1
delegates, q large number Of commissioners
from many different countries were present
under appointments from national COM
mittees, from boards of directors of pris-
ons and reformatories, from prison aocie-
ties from special commissions on Penitentiary
reform, from societies OF jurists, from the law
department Of universities, and from the Insti-
tute Of France, which deputed three Of it's men,
bers to represent that llustriouB body Of saD1ns
in the Congress-.
Most Of the Governments represented in
the Congress forwarded official reports on the
prison systems and administrations Of their re-
spective countries, in reply to series Of inter
rogatories prepared and previously submitted to
body q larger amount Of information on the
Penitentiary question than has ever here
tofore been collected, Information Of the high
est value and in the most authentic form.
"Quostions Of the greatest interest and i'm
portance connected with the organization and
management Of prisons came before the Con-
grese, and were discussed with q broad compre-
hension Of their bearings, and with signal abl-
ity, as well as in the best possible temper. These
discussions, at the same time, supplemented BY
large additions, the information furnished by
the official reports mentioned in the preceding
paragraph.
ut Was not to be expected that q body COM
ing together, literally, from the ends OF the
earth (for the remotest States OF South A1neri-
ca and the most distant Of the British Colonies
liberate upon social problems so profound and
recondite as those which fall within the pur-
view Of penitentiary science, without Develop
ing wide differences Of opinion; end yet-a re-
suit most remarkable, and as gratifying as it
waH extraordinary-it VAS able, in the end, to
agree, and did agree, with scarcely o dissenting
voice, upon declaration Of principles at once
comprehensive and fundamental, relating to
prison reform and prison discipline.
" One Of the most important results OF the
Congress Of London wag the creation Of per-
manent international Committee on Peniten-
tiary Reform, composed Of the members from
as many different nations, including the United
States. This Committee will hold annual ses-
aions in different countries, and another General
Congress will be likely to be called within three
or four years. thus giving character OF period
icjtY to these international reunions, and making
OF them regular institution.
ssThe preparation for my final report, which
propose to make full and exhaustive, will re-
utire some time; but shall proceed with it as
rapidly as other duties will permit. It will be
divided into four parts, as follows:
"Part l. will offer complete resume, arranged
in subjects. of the information furnished in the
official reports submitted to the Congress from
the different countries, thus giving, at glance,
comparative view Of the present state Of prison
discipline and the progress Of prison reform, in
the leading nations Of the world.
"Part II. will review and condense the pro-
ceedings Of the Congress- giving the gist OF the
debates and the great currents OF opinion and
argument developed in them.
"Part III. will embody the results OF the per-
sonal observations and inquiries of the UNDER
signed in relation to the prisons and reforms
tories OF Europe.
"Part ". will be an attempt to deduco from
all that has gone BEFORE it's appropriate lessons,
and to state them in the form Of suggestions
and recommendations.
'Au Of which is respectfully submitted.
"E. G. WINES,
Commissioner Of the United States to the
International Penitentiary Congress Of 1872.
"Of1ce of the National Prison Association,
194 Broadway, New York, Oct. 22, 1872"