Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-12-14
A PRISON IN NORWAY.
Tho Methods Employed by MIR. Petersen In
tho Reformation Of Criminals and tne
Results Obtained.

The Methods Employed by MIR. Petersen In
tho Reformation Of Criminals and the
Results Obtained.
The penitentiary is the latest and best
of the Norwegian prisons, having been
opened twenty-five years ago QS5l).. 1t
has two hundred and fifty cells, spacious
and we'll ventilated. I twisted, e1-
amined and inspected " it in September
of last year. Mr.. Richard Petersen, a
son of the late prime minister OF Nor
way. is the director or warden, a gentle
man of excellent natural gifts, OF large
culture, and heart whose every pulsa-
tion is for the reform, the elevation-in
O word, the salvation of the fallen and
the unfortunate. In bis whole work he
has but one impulse, one desire, one
aim; it is, by Gods help, to change bad
men into good ones. His devotion is
illustrated in q remark made IN evident
inconsistencies that there was any self
praise in it. Referring to the feeble
state of his health, now becoming
chronic, he said: "I ought not to re-
main in The penitentiary; but cannot
help it." Devotion 80 unselfsh and 80
tireless would, one would naturally sup
pose, be rewarded with many reforma
tions, and such is the fact.
On the arrival of the prisoner at the
penitentiary Mr.. Petersen first takes him
into his Office, and in strictly private
conversation questions him kindly but
searchingly as to his past life, his
parents, his brothers and sisters, where
ind how he had lived, his occupation
and earnings, what had led him into
crime, and especially the cause of the
criminal act for which he had now been
committed. In this inquest NJ. Peter
sens manner is 80 gentle, 80 kindly, so
winning, 80 truly paternal, for his heart
is in the work, that tho prisoners conf
dence is gained, he is more often than
otherwise melted into tears, and the
secrets of his life are laid bare.
All the facts elected in this interview
are carefully set down in the "character
book"
Next Mr.. Petersen explains to the
prisoner the nature of the punishment
to be undergone, what he will be re-
quired to do and what not to do while in
prison, and why all this has been made
necessary by his crime. He gives him
to understand that it is his duty to see
the prescribed punishment executed,
and at the same time he explains to and
impresses upon him that he and the
other officers are the prisoners best
friends, since their great object is to
change him by Gods blessing into a
better man.
In the "character book" is after
ward, from time to time, inserted what
ever is calculated to throw light on the
moral state of the prisoner, such as frag-
ments of his correspondence. how he
works, studies, repents, confesses unde-
tected crimes "a thing not uncommon);
or, contrariwise, how he neglects his
opportunities, and grows worse. His
disciplinary punishments are also all set
dowrfin the same book in word, an
outline of his entire moral history dur
ing his imprisonment is there made
matter of record.
CARE OF DISCHARGED PRISONERS.
Before his discharge the prisoner is
again called into the directors Office,
and q parting conversation recounts
briefly the incidents OF his prison life.
He tells what advancement he has made.
and in what directions; what are his
plans and purposes where he wishes to
60, what to do, etc. Then, if his hon e
is not in Christiania, the director asks
him to write to him often and freely,
and go inform him where he is and how
he lives, what he works at, how much he
earns, and what sort of persons he
chooses for his comrades in short, to
tell him all the particulars of his life,
his successes, his failures, etc. He as
sures the prisoner, at the same time,
that he will still continue his interest in
him, and seek his welfare. The chap
lain's estimate of the prisoner and what
ever suggestions he has to offer concern
ing him are inserted in the "character
book" Lastly, his weight at his en-
trance and at his discharge is recorded
therein.
Mr.. Petersen lays great stress on these
records relating to the prisoner, believ-
ing it necessary to study the man thor
oughly in order to manage and mold
him as an individual being. He re-
CARDS NATURALIZATION as essential to all
reformatory prison discipline. He lays
equal stress on his correspondence with
liberated prisoners, having by this
means, he says, in many cases continued
a good work and carried it forward to
perfection.
THE MEANS EMPLoYED.
MIR. Petersen visits all the inmates of
the prison in their cells every three
weeks, and in special cases oftsner.
The chaplain also sees and converses
with the whole body of prisoners with
equal frequency, without limiting him
self, however, to once in three weeks.
In the present incumbent Mr.. Petersen
has an able, devoted and faithful CO.
worker.
Through these agencies Mr. Petersen
reaches, with few exceptions, the hearts
of his prisoners, for his own heart works
in and by them. As consequence he
rarely fails to win their confidence and
affection. Thus he governs them by
gentleness and love rather than by vio-
leuce and fear, and they are unspeak-
ably better governed, are made more
docile, orderly and obedient by the
former method than they would or can
be by the latter.
A meeting of the prison staff is held
every Saturday for conference and con-
sultation on all matters and interests
pertaining to the prison and prisoners.
Among the best reformatory agencies
employed MIR. Petersen counts the SER
mons and personal conversations of the