New-York tribune., 1875-09-25
PRISON REFORM.


THE NECESSITY OF HAVING BETTER CLASS oF
PRISON oFFICIALs-PoLICY OF EUROPEAN Ma
TIONs
To the Editor Of The Trtbuhs.
SIR. The death of pOOr Connolly on Black
wes Island with the story OF brstility and heareSs
ness which the subsequent investigations have brungh
To hight Is fast passing out OF the public mnh i'o
however, il Is entirely forgotten 1t seems htuHe " '
seriously upon the system Of present manag'hch' "'
develops such outrages Az the fundamental purpose "
our penal institutions protect society the public a
large are too apt to satisfied when the criminal N
safely incarcerated and feel almost indifference az
10 the treatment which he meets with dil'hs
his confinement Such a pohcy nj this waivhe
its inhumanity, il positively suicidal III HS
results After terms of imprisonment OF varying e"s"
the hail doors are thrown open and the hhiiaes ' ]"
leased Upon the influences which have been hiou4ht 10
bear upon them white thus secluded must OF necessity
depend their subsequent and the safety or danger
Of society regards them II the youth hpriSo"t' o'
minor o.ense be incensed by unldst severity an" s''
age cruelty he will emerge from his ceh WIN is"h '"
murder and the whole catalogue OF crimes Setn'ht
within him and years OF violence ana oiooushe' "
fore him. You have punished him ior LIZ
fault but have you protected socletyt IheT T
much need that the subject OF Prison Reform in all ITS
branches should he agitsted in this country III" ~"
mirabe irish system OF prison discipline, as deVelol"
by Sir Walter Cr0fon should be pat into fui operation
here The relations OF insanity and crime sho"'u oe
thoroughly investigated including the most nrr,s,lns
problem of hereditary criminal taiht Moie 81 h.s
efforts should be made ind employment ana hon's
FOR our discharged convcts. These and klndIe
Of this reform all stand in need of earnest - u W.
willing workers But while much tiie .i ., r m ~
necessary in order to accomplish these results, no ~
one ste u in the right direction which we ough AZ
take aud that the important Of all-nameS th' IT
lecrlOn OF suitable prison 0iilclals. ~ -....,,.
European nations have long rccosiTeu 'he n'o'n,,S ~
Of specai training FOR this work. More than 80 years
ago, when Mr. Demetz was about estaosing ~ M 1ne b .
atorv Agricultural Colony OF MettraI IN France, ne Ill l,
deeply the need Mt assistants 10 aid him III hir wrh
and established preparatory schn1l 10 tri w th a
most signal aud gratifying success during tilh 'ou
of training Mr. Demetz able to lndge Wnelhsf n II
pups were ntted their calling and to eliminate
unsuitable candidates. Many of thein lnahi,ese' .
an enlnnslstG vs nnltn them 70 ofher pursu-
such spirit and such the class Of men tt we M
ot rho head of orr refomatOry institutions. Germany l.
scarcely behind France her special training ana cuca-
ton If her prison officials. and IN EnglaId no oe ~
cnive. fui appontment ~ an official IL any prison
unt he has been submitted 10 probationary s Of SIX
months duration through which period ne II earclui
said I" an American that he could obtain position
for his in any prison IN England upon any o.ler
ronnd than his fitness for the office Foo al other pro
essOns in every branch OF business ana ID al the n
special education and training are deemed .s.ehlal
Why should the most delicate ana dlncul ls,rh ol
taking IN large number Of depraved ana Vcous
men and endeavoring 10 eradicate the tvn II,
their natures, aud thus OF restoring eir seusP' ''
returning them az peaceabe and useful members OF so
ciety demand like preparation The r0o OF tie whoe
trouble with US IL that appointments ana ieoVda % o
,rsou officials are made solely upon poltci grounds
Little II any regard paid TO the fitness of the appohte
in the first and few officers hod thet poSilo
long enough To acquire the requisite eXsf'h, a,'
Judgment. All this should be CHANGED Sucl aprolht-
mens should only upon evidence ot the hecs-
sary qualifications. IN the case OF our puhnc s'"Gn
teacher. and should continue during good behavior fy
establishing such a method we should DO away WIN th
vile abuses which Disgrace our prison manageiheh' a'
might confidently hope 10 succeed IN reforming ulu'
larger number OF criminals Let us remember thAl
We are seek in our lefOIlnatory INSTITUTIONS ho' oh
for what Benham calls "ncapaC .tatlon IT, ma
bity to crime-but also for the reformation O,
the criminal and his restoration as SAFE anu 'on''iso'
member of society. u"
| Aetr- York. sept. IA, 1870.