Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-14

The biennial report Of the Directors and Suner.
intendent Of the State Prison. ~ 20 ia condition
ana management show the financial Affairs of the
Prison Ia good condition and in this respocf thern
seems % hc q great Improvement over that Of
former yoars. ~ the last session Of the lcgisla-
inre, on recommendation Of the officers of the
irison, an act wna passed directing the Directors
70 construct chapel IN one 0f the buildjnrs and
make such alterations and repairs Of the Old prison
as were necessary for the better Accommodation
oi the female convicts therein confined. and for
these purposes they were authorized 20 appro-
pirate go much Of the surplus earnings of the
prison as was necessary. not exceeding 81 COO
The reports show that the chapel has bcen con-
structcd accordingly and that the other repairs
nave not becn made on account Of the insuffciencv
ot the appropriation. and those rpuairs are amin
represented as being much needed for tho cou-
venienoc and comfort of the female prisoners con-
fined there. recommend that the necessary af,-
preparation be made Tor that purpose call your
attention to the remarks of tho Directors In their
report IN relation to the impropriety Of sen
fencing culpfis for short terus on small offonses
TO such an Institution az this The main pur-
pose oi punishment il to prevent crime and re-
form the criminal In order 10 accomplish this
purpose, criminal laws must be punitorv, but az
the same time they ought 20 be rcf0matOry a. far
"a. practicable. There are minor oifonses for
Whith the punishment prescribed Is In the alter
nAiNe,-inc or imprisonment In the county iail
or iu tho state Prison In the discretion II the
court, depending on the circumstances Of the mar
ucular case. IN some Of these cases the mider
punishment Nl NNe or imprisonment IN county
lnil- proper for the purpose, wOud he mfii icent
and answer all the purposes Of punishment and
be much more likely 90 reform the offender than
the fixing on him the infamy that attaches to
state Prison convict
But our jails are places Of detention Of criminals
OF all grades and classes awaiting trial. and usu-
aly aiording no means Of separation Of prisoners;
the most abandoned and hardened criminals being
turned n with those whose Of cnsc is Of the lowest
gnde-committed, perhaps, more from weakness
than depravitv-thus exposing the latter 30 the
dcprNing influences of such associations. Such
n generally the condition of our iails that q SEN
tence 10 imprisonment In them Is, practically. n
sentence 10 idleucss in a school Of vice II a fine
is imposed, the consequence Is often, from the
poverty Of the offender the same, as II results In
imprisonment till released by pardon This same
mischief also extends 10 cases ofoffendefs impris-
oned in the county Jail Tor the most trhng often
ces. Our iails are defective rs place of punish
ment, ia not aifording any means of employment
n the prisoners The very idleness 10 which they
are condemned tends 10 vice and crime, while la
bor would be rcformatory in its influence II
ptulnhlN would not be practicable at least not
within the limit ~ reasonable expense to convert
all Our county iais into worls-houses but they
should be so constructed a. 10 prevent the indis-
uiminate intercourse Of prisoners and crimnalsof
e, cry grade.
But have long been Of the opinion that a work
house, 10 which prisoners from different narta of
the state, convicted Of certain minor offences
might, under limited discretion In courts Of JUS
uce ns To the place Of punishment, be sentenced
would be OF pubc benefit and supply an existing
defect in the means Of the suppression Of crime
and the punishment and reform Of criminals
Possibly the conversion Of some one county Jail
INTO such work-honse might subserve this purpose
think the subject is worthy Of your consideration
The other biennial reports, which | have not
had the opportunity OF examining will be before
You for your consideration.
trust that in the performance Of the various
duties devolying on you both in investigating the
past and providing for the future that true public
economy will be observed which neither tram
scends nor fails TO supply the legitimate necess-
ties Of the state and which will limit the session TO
the time necessary TO do deliberately and well
what the public good requires to be done.
AsHAET PICK.
EXECUTIVE tmAMuTu, b
MONTPELIER. y