, 1873-03-07
COUNTY JAILS.

1
gilded humbug.
COUNTY JA1Ls.
The report OF tho State Board Of Charities and
Correction for this State contains one recon-
mendation that Is entitled to serious considers
hon- It concerns the reformation Of the County
jail system. II the character Of the County Jail
Of chicsgo for the past few years may be accept
ed ~ sample Of those Of the State generally,
the necessity for reform in this particular is
more urgent than any other. in our system for
the treatment Of criminals. 1t has been matter
::of common notoriety for years that the County
Jail Of Cook County is but 1ittleremoved from the
condition Of q hog-pen, to which has been
added the moral filth generated by bad whisky
and the close association Of the different varic-
ties OF moral degradation. It has been claimed
by those in charge that it Was Impossible for
them to keep the Jail in any better condition
than it has presented. This i8 hard to believe !;
but, If true, SO far as the noisome atmosphere
and filthy surroundings are concerned: it ia cer-
tainly not true in regard to the disgraceful con-
duct Of tho iumatcs.- This has been rather en-
couraged by practices which it is not neces-
gary to recount in detail. It is certain,
however; that the system itself is large
II responsible when it admits Of the
abuaea that have crept into the Cook County
Jail. This view Of the matter ia also confirmed
by the circumstance that other jai1s throughout
the State, which do not have the same demands
upon their capacity, are found in pretty much
the same condition.
The remedy proposed by the Board Of chari-
ties and Correction is 3 broad one. It is the
abolition Of the entire system Of County Jals, az
conducted at present. The objections, which
extend equally to all Of them, arc: That
the prisoners are in constant contact
with one another. without any use-
full employment Of their time that
Idle associations of this kind cannot fail to de-
tYelop crimina1ity that the punishment Of con-
fnement is thus deprived Of its main purpose Of
preventing the recurrence OF; criminal acts by
the reformation Of the imprisoned; and, finally,
that the same jails are used for OBTAINING those
Who await their trials, and who may be innocent
men, and those who have been convicted and are
kept in prison as T. punishment It is this last
feature in particular which has induced the
Board Of Chari:ies and Correction to suggest
the establishment Of District Prisons. as q sort
Of intermediate station between the County Jail
and the Peniteutiary, and the discontinuancc Of
sentencing convicted criminals to the County jail
IS punishment: Such change would leave
County Jails as mere place OF detention, re-
leve them OF their present crowded condition,
and afford no excuse for any of the abuses that
must prevail go long rs the convicted and un-
tried, the guilty and the presumably innocent,
are mixed up unfortunately. The County:
Jails could then be kept in order and clean1i-
ness. The Board think that, for the present,
two District Prisons-one in the northern part
Of the State, and the other in the southern
would be sufficient for the demands that would be
made upon them. Hero is whorst the minor Offend
ezs would DO consigned, thus keeping them
away from the Influence Of the classes more ad-
7anced in crime, who are sent to the Peniten-
tiary, and also saving the unconvicted
persons in the County Jai1s from the
contamination Of their society. It is
suggested that these District Prisons should be
conducted on the same general plan as the .Peni-
Tertiary; that they should provide useful
employments for the criminals; that they allou1d
be in charge OF experienced and honorable men,
and that they should be as nearly self-sustaining
as possible The excess Of the expenses over
the convict earnings, it is suggested, should be
paid by the counties pro rata, according to the
number Of f'convicts they contribute. The Board
believe that, under this systen the cost Of MAIN
tanning the convicts Of the State would be con-
siderably less than now that the Judges could
then discriminate better and sentence criminals
in accordance with their oRensea more than
now that the evils Of idle association would be
decreased that the proper distinction would bs
made between detention and punishment; and
that the deterrent effect Of puniahment would be
propo1tionately augmented. :
NOTES AND OPINION: !
The Michigan Democratic Convention, to
nominato for Supreme Judge and Regents, will
be held at Jackson, the 27th-
Time Was that an American Secretary Of
State was particular on the subject OF dress,
that it should illustrate the Republican idea.
Now, according to the New York Times
Secretary Fish addressed communications to the
members Of the Diplomatic Corps requesting them to
appear in full court dress at the ball. and. in contunc
ton with the gittering uniforms Of our army and
naval officers, they will present scene Of briluancy
rarely Witnessed :: ,
The St. Paul Press, which is accused Of hay-