The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-06
PRACTICAL RESULTS.

The institution has been too recently
opened to say much about practical results;
but thus far we have discovered nothing in
its management to provoke or justify CEN
sure. AS long as there are so few inmates,
the expenses of the institution must I'M
avoidably be comparatively high, and it Is
to be hoped that the different counties will,
in view OF this avail themselves of the adj
vantages of the Institution, by committing to
its guardianship some, at least, of the girls
which are to he found in every community,
who need and are entitled to such guardian
ship. 1t is believed that the people, as
yet, do not generally understand
that girl need not be an offender against
the penal laws of the State to justify her
committal to the guardianship of the re-
formatory department of this Institution. If
the fact could be generally made known that
vagrancy, or incorrigible or vicious conduct
on the part of girl, coupled with the fact
that from moral depraYity, or otherwise, her
parent or guardian is incapable or unwilling
to exercise the proper care over her, or that
she is destitute of suitable home and ado
quate means of obtaining an honest living,
or that she is In danger of being brought up
to lead an idle or vicious life, will justify her
committal to the guardianship of the institu-
ton, it can not be doubted that many girls,
some of them mere children, that are now on
the sure road to ruin, would be placed under
the saving influence of the reformatOry de-
psrtment of this institution. There is one
defect, as the Board of Visitors believe, in
the law governing the reformatory depart
ment of the institution, which ought TO be
remedied by amendatory legislation. We
allude to that portion OF the act which re-
Quires girl to be under the age of fifteen
years to justify her committal to the reform
atory department of the institution, and
which compels her discharge when she at
al -hoth Oh
is reformed or not. In the judgment of the
Board of Visitors, the law should be so
amended as to allow the committal of girls
up to the age of eighteen years, and so as to
justify their detention until twenty-one
years OF age, If not sooner reformed. In this
regard, a reformitory for girls is very differ
ent to a reformitory for boys. At the age of
eighteen, many boys can not be governed in
reform school without converting it into
prison, and thereby destroying its reforma-
tory character; but with girls the case is very
different. We therefore submit for the con-
sideration eff your Excellency the propriety
of an amendment of the law governing the
institution such as we have suggested, TO the
end that the attention of the General Assem-
bly, may be directed thereto, if the sugges-
ion should meet your approval.
Respectfully submitted,
CONRAD BAKER.
BY direction and on behalf of the Board OF
Visitors.
DECEMBER u, 1873.
The reports of the Superintendent, Stew
ard and Physician of the Institution have
been made to the Board of Managers, and
will be Incorporated in their report to the
Governor, required to be made py them to-
day. They are as follows:
SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
To the Board of Managers of the Indiana Re
tos'matoyy Institution for Women and Girls:
On receiving the ppointment, tenth OF
seventh month, visited the penitentiary at
Detroit, the better to understand the work
lings of model prison. Many similar insti-
trtions had been visited in England yet the
American character, life and habits differ so
widely, / thought best TO have precedent
near our field of operation. On the 18th we
occupied the unfinished building, the better
to superintend, some necessary changes, and
prepare for the inmates. Thetwelfth of ninth
month tire Reformatory Department was
opened, to take two girls out of Jail, Az they
could be more profitably employed clear
J Ing the rubbish from the new building. The