The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-05
PRISON REFORM.

THE FOURTH ANNUAL CONGRESS TO CONVENE IN
srEISwAY HALL TOMORROW RvENNG-PRo-
GEAMME or THE BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED.
The National Prison Association, whose chief objects
are the Improvement OF the condition Of prisoners
IN tho architecture OF prisons and the reclamation
Of discharged prisoners will at Steinway Hall to-
morrow evening under tho title of the Fourth Nations
Prison Reform Congress- The exercises viii consist
OF an opening address by Ex-Governor Seymour, Of
New York, president of the association addresses by
Mayor wickham and William Cullen Bryant; responses
by the Hon. Richard vaux, OF Pennsylvania, and Mr.
! Brockway OF Michigan, and other business
They viii continue from day to DAY
until all the subjects have been freely discussed and
action taken thereon BY the members. The nrst con-
gress was held at Cincinnati in 1870 when thirty
seven papers read and discussed and dcclar-on
OF principles Of prison discipline adopted. The latter
has been translated into all the principal languages OF
| Europe, and has attracted much attention the
other side OF the Atlantic. The second session was
held at Baltimore in 1879 when valuable reports were
made OF the work BY tho members in the various
States oil the Union. The third and last session
csrred at St Louis in 1874 when the special character
lstic was ia general relation of methods and
perenccs by the officers OF State prisons, houses OF
correction and preventive and reformatory institutions
| in the United States.n
The programme for the work OF this Congress will be
! as follows
L--cRiMISAL REFORM
!. Would II be desirable and expedent to limit tho
definition and punishment OF crimes by prescribed
code, to the excursion OF the common law Hon.
Emory Washburn Professor In the Law School OF Cam.
briiee University Cambridge, Mass
What changes are needed IN the forms and methods
| OF criminal procedure in our courts, with avicw TO
making the administration OF criminal justice moro
prompt, more humane, more ctfcacious and more con-
| iormabs TO the principles Of reason Hon. Z. l.
University and President OF the Board OF State CON-
mssioners on Charitable Penal, Pauper and Refcrma
tory Institutions Detroit, Mich
). The Hon. Theodore W. Dwight, III. H., President OF
the Prison Association OF New York. Warden OF the Law
Commission OF the Court OF Appeals, will probably,
either in written paper erfemporc speech open
discussion on the question or the proper organization
OF the department OF prosecuting attorneys for
| State
4. By what means can moro equitable distribution
OF punishment, according tohe facts OF each
developed in the evidcnce, DO secured Hon William
G. Hammond, Professor ard Chancellor OF the Law
Department OF the state University, Iowa City, Iowa.
| ;. Should persons who have been unfortunate
/ to witness tho commission of crime, and who
unable to give security Tor their appearance the
trial OF the accused be detained in prison witnesses
or, instead should their testimony be taken de 6enc
esse az civil !-An opener. has yet been
secured Tor this question II is hoped that the Hon.
John T. Hoffman, Ex-Governor OF New York, who, rs
Chief Magistrate Of the State took much interest in tho
question: may consent to open the discussion.
O. What reforms are needed IN the jury system Of
the United States particularly as regards the qnalid
Seaman Ann Arbor, Mich.
Z. Would the abolition OF the death penalty be likely
TO diminish the crime OF murdery What has been the
experiences OF States in which such abolshmcnt has
been triedg Hon. Edward J. Phelps, Burlington, W.
8. Should the persons arragned on a criminal
! charge be allowed 10 testify i'll their behalff
What has been the experience Of states that have
adopted this principle in their criminal procedure?--
Hon. Robert Pitman a Justice in the Supreme Court Of
Massachusetts. New Bedford, Mass
O. should a criminal code provide for dealing with
crime capitalists with view to their repression -
Rev. j. b. Bittineer. ID. D., Sewicklcy, Pa.
TO- The Hon. Noah Davis, Justice in the Supreme
Court of New York should the state Of his health,
now somewhat precarious, permitl. will prepare
paper on some point to be selected by himself in the
department OF criminal law reform.
1.-THE pENITKxTiARY SYSTEM.
]. Graduation of Prisons
(a) How should the prisons Of State be graded9-
+. B. sanborn, Esq, Chairman OF the Massachusetts
board oil State Charities and Secretary of the American
Social Science Association, Boston, Mass.
/ (b) What should be the construction OF prisons in
tended for women Joseph Burnet, ESQ., President Of
the Board OF Prison Commissioners, Boston, Mass
to the inmates Of female prisons Mrs G. r. Colin,
member OF the Board Of Managers of the Indiana
(d) How should lockups station houses ~ con-
sructcd and what should be the treatment OF rroners
confined in them REV. William g. Eliot D. b.,
Ill. D., President OF Washington University, ST LOUIS
q What system OF classification is likely to be most
effective in promoting the reformation OF prisoners,
and Of diminishing crime ?-Z. i. Brockway, men,
Der OF the State Board OF Commissioners Charitable
Penal, Pauper and Reformatory institutions and OK.
Superintendent OF the House OF Correction, Detroit
! Mich.
3 What should be the discipline of prisons in gen.
eral, and what Of convcts inside the penitcntary p?
Hon Richard vaux, President OF the Board Of Inspcc-
tors Of the Eastern Pcnient.ary Philadelphia Pa.
4 How should labor be organized prisons, and
what is the best construction OF priens for labor
Hon. Henry Cordier superintendent oil the House Of
Correction, Clarcmont Allegheny county, Pa
s. What system should be adopted for tho common
discipline aia s~Rev f. Vines, IL B., Secretary Of The
Board OF State Commissioners Of Public Charities,
Springfield, IN.
O. What provision should be made by the state for
the Of discharged prisoners with view to
strengthen their good resolutions and save them from
relapse into crimey-Rev. Augustus oodbury,
President Board OF Inspectors OF the State Prison.
Providence X |.
to the prison system of State with view its great
efficiency in accomplishing the true ends Of prison
dlscipnes-Rev. James Freeman Clarke. D. d., Boston,
Mass.
l. On what principle may the State claim and exer-
else the right OF separating children from parents who
wilfuly ncgligently fail in the proper and necessary
duties OF the parental relation g-Hon. Daniel Haines,
Ex-Governor OF New Jersey, Hamburg, ~ j.
2 Are different classes OF institutions required for
the treatment OF children who only in danger OF
falling and children who have actually fallen into
crime; or at least, should such institutions be
orally organized and conducted Elisha Harris. NJ D.,
Secretary Of the Prison Association OF New York.
3 Are the public schools juvenile asylums, pro-
tcctorics and reormatories sufficient meet
OF society with respect to neglected destitute and cx-
posed children: do these and such like institutions
need to be rplcmcned by the day industrial school,
in which only food aud instruction doth scholastic and
industrial) provided, the children going at
night sleep p Rev. Charles Lorng Brace Secretary
Of The Children's AID Society, New York
4. Does the family or congrcgato system offer the
best basis for the organization and management OF
form schools, or may both principles to certain
tent, be advantagcously combined IN the nsttu
iion REV. Marcus Ames, cx-superintendent Of the
state Industrial Reform School Tor Girls, Lancaster,
| Mass, and II. A. Moniort, Superintendent Of the
House OF Refuge, Cincinnati, ohio.
should industrial md rcformatory schools be State
institutions founded, supported and managed wholly
by the State; would IT be better to combine private
initiative and management with State aid and super.
vision fRev. Thomas X. Fesscndcn Secretary OF ths
Board Of Trustees or the Connecticut Girls Industrial
Reform School, Pennington, Conn.
O. What are the agencies most likely to be enective
in the moral and religious education OF tho inmates OF
industrial and reform schools ?J. r. Buchanan, D.,
Louisville Ky.
Z. What branches Of learning should be taught In
reform schools What industries most suitable
i Tor such institutional N nat. especially, is the COM