New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-20
THE REFORMATION OF PRISONS.
NECESSITY OF HAVING CLEAN AND WELL VENTi-
LATED CEILs-AssOCIAuON OF CRIMINALS.

NECESSITY OF HAVING CLEAN AND WELL NENTl-
LATED CEILs-AssOCIATION OF CRIMINALS.
TO the Edttor Of The tribune.
SIR: 1t is universally acknowledged by those
who have devoted any thought to the subject that rad
cal change needed in the management of the peua in
sttutions Among the various elements OF change each
OF vital coTNern which demand attention, none can
be OF more Importance than the securing OF healthfu
commodious and orderly prisons 1t is idle to attempt
10 improve the moral character OF prisoner when ne Is
smarng under the injustice and discomfort of damp
and filthy cell IL is obvious to the offender as to the
most casual observer that the security of soceiyis not
increased by the deadly vapOrs of his cell He feels as
we know, that wrong has been committed upon MN,
and his spirit OF hatred and opposition To the authority
which controls him daily strengthened l; Is lament
able fact that many of the county ia In this state nave
been constructed with such utter absence OF all SAM
tary considerations that the prisoners confined in them
almost inevitably contract pulmonary or rheumatic as
eases such structures are disgrace to the Common
wealth. and should be torn down and suitable buildings
provided. The condition OF some of orr city prisons Is
scarcely better in this respect Ovcrccwdng proVas IN
ou prisons to an alarming There have been re-
Gently confined in the Tonba 637 prisoners in cells con
structcd for $50 and foug prisoners have been
locked mp in single cell only large enough 10 contain one
comfortable Throughout the state the same condition
prevails Young boys and hardened house breakers OF
young girls ANA abandoned women, ART SHAT up tSot'
the gunner in crime. An instance IS related "t h
clnr being found with hTight-cYcd nuie hoN ohly Il
wears old ON his lap. to whom he was teaching the pro-
fessional terms and secrets of his desperate calling
Nothing could ne more demOraziug than such co'c as
,ocatinn Of offenders There j. no escape Tor te rss
hardened however much they may wish IT, FROM ''ic COZ
ruutin influences Which surround them. Assocath~ 50
infinitely together. prisoners acquire class CchS ana
one member class Clique only FOR Inc opinion
ms fellows. We lind hero WorSpers III janis N tIs
where. and convict who has received an cNctilphdlN
lnug sentence is looked 10 one VINO has bc i"t
uizrG as q dangerous and powerful criminal certainly
We must adopt u system of graduation when shal 90
away with this indi,cTimu0te hedng OF PRISONERS Oh
all degrees OF wickcdnCss. .,
fl should De possible to keep young Offenders ohtre
scciud .Om haTGt ned cOnvcts aud above al! 10 AVON
the intimate alton COnsc 1ucnt upon Dom occupying
the same cell In the majority report OF TIE committee
on state Prisons and the Prevention ana punishment o
Crime submit the Constitutional Convention q.
1857 ( lind the following striking paragraph: - your
Committee fully satisfied that there !, no one OF t.c
sources OF which j. more operative IN the Lup
cation of thieves and bu glars than the common lals o.
the State s az present organized An instance = Cu
nf Il women confined in room Of the Albany JAN, 10
feet long and feet wide and of three PRISONERS locked
no ior the night III "a cell feet Vldc. icci ionS ana
f..t high. The terms "Nurs, Tes OF Crime AMI Hot
beds Ol Vice" he SAID TO nave been ln3pty ap
piled to such institutions. W. j. NJ
ACtr- Oyk, Nov. :, 1870.