The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-31
OUR PRISONS AND CRIMINALS.

menL b G. TOWNSEND. Secretary, A. b.
OUR PRISONS AND CRIMINALS.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE PRISON Asso-
cIAT1oN-ALL THE PRISONS ovERcRowDED
AND THE COUNTY JAIIs FILLED WITH TRAMps
Tho thirty FIRST annual report Of the New York
Prison Association to the Legislature issued yes
terday. 1t is very long and exhaustive document
and bears the date of March, 1s7o the work Of col
lectng the facts being very tedious and tho classca
ton OF crimo, It's results, &C., intricate and dicut
The report says the disturbed and greatly diminished
industries of the country have set loose number
Of aborers who seem I, mako New York their
tramping ground. The new law OF commit tation has
set loose horao OF habitual criminals, the result
of which that the local throughout the State
have been constrained to All tho common jas with
petty offenders, mostly OF the vagabond GLASS; Not
outstanding tho operation OF this law, al the end OF
the year 1875 the ails were crowded to greater ex
tent than any previous time In their history The
common tramp readily becomes helper OF practiced
criminals, and tho relations Of the classes have
become tcarfully intimate and must be severed as
enectualy as possible. The increase Of habitual
criminals 10 too serious TO be regarded Q casual
evil which may with return OF general pros.
perity and q demand Tor labor.
The total number OF people in the prisons OF the
State exclusive Of the criminal insane at the close OF
the year 1855, showing an increase Of 500 con-
victions over the previous year The report recon-
mcnds that correctional exhibition be established Tor
the keeping OF tramps and vagab0nds where thoy shall
be compelled to work. The crowdng OF jas with this
lido class considered short sighted and blind policy.
They should be made TO feel the superior force of
intelligence and the strong will OF an instructor In
labor.
The system OF advising with criminals before their
release has been kept up during the year IN the three
State PRISONS notwithstanding 1t has been impossible
TO make suitable provision tor each discharged,
the aid and advice OF the association being often dis
regarded by the prisoner when liberated. The assoc
alton, has, however, endeavorcd to obtain personal
hold every man or woman discharged and by aiding
have established large number in useful career.
Nearly all who reform from vices are under twenty
five years Of age Instances are rdrc where mon
form who have been IN prison several times.
FEMALE coNvICTs.
The condition OF the female convcts is said to be
much more deplorable than that OF the Not only
do they to abandon all hope Of better life, but
in their desperation their mental and moral condition
becomes more hopeless than that OF the males. This
lisa needless evil Tor experience shows that In Eng
tanned and methods OF skilled employment are intro
duced the percentage OF reformation has become large
The evils of crowding women in Sing Sing depicted
as very great. One hundred and orty convcts
were crowded into eghty-iour cells. Little or dis.
tnction be made and the occupant OF one cell may
be an old offender, graduate in crime; the other
young girl, prison for her first offence who desires
life Her resolve is destroyed when she is shut
up nightly Tor twelve hours with woman bound TO
bring all she comes in contact with down To- the Same
level herself AS Tor the physical effects the maron
OF the institution says she shuddcrs 10 think oft
THE CRowDING OF THE PRISONS.
The cells 8 feet inches high, 8 feet inches In
length and 4 feet inch wde Two women are shut
during the long nights OF winter in these little boxes
and during the Short hot nights OF sumner Their
clothing worn by day and only changed weekly, must
be either hung the walls or lett on tho floor. The
two night buckets must be there, and in what trem
bling and sickened state they emerge may BIO mag
incd. Four feet from the doors OF these ces-whose
gratings emit air and the doors OF the bed cloth
placed between the tables and the cells More cells
are mperatvey needed, and new mess hall is neces-
sary Baths required, and likewise bo0ks for the
expense OF bad woman to the public who comes
forth from a heightened Imprisonment unreormed Is
far greater than any possible cost which may be in
in the six penitenares at the close OF tho year.
INCIDENCE.
The county jars are now castles OF Incidence, where
Migrants and tramps find lodging and full subsistence,
awarded Tor the petty msdcmeanors they have COM
mitted Probably other State has suffered much
from tramps US New York Tho State prisons contain
numbers OF them who while travelling, were detected
in crime, and found TO be habtual and vol known
better to ply their vocation. The county jails IN
this State are declared to be a disgrace to
In In the centennial year Of our history many
the evils tho Bridewclls and jails of England in
Towards time The gains OF jail keepers are depen
dent upon the number and vices of the prisoners and
the sheriff. as head keeper, Will not reform abuses
unless no is made saariei ofhcer IL IS TACT TO be
depored that the largest profits OF Jail keeping and tho
traditional perquises OF the county sheriff should be
dependent upon the increased number Of prisoners
and OF their vicious ndugenccs IN the county prisons
The fact that 90 900 prisoners are lodged IN the
county jas OF the state shows how important u Is
tho condition Of these local prisoners should DO
under constant observation.
or THE ASSOCIATION
During the year the association aided l,469 persons
discharged from prison. indie pendent OF aid rendered
discharged in former years. SOB were assisted to
employment; 1872, without home aud friends, were
provided with temporary homes and lodgings: 1871
furnished means with which to reach friends at
distance; AL were supplied with clothing; 81 were
provided, with tools; "a prisoners families were aided
during the year; making total Of 2,065 cases re-
lieved
the reports Of the Jail committees throughout the
State. They all bewail the pres. nee OF cramps"
The report enters at great length into disease and
pauperism. Blackwell's Island has now population
OF 2062 paupers and criminals against 992 at tho be-
ginning or the year. The record shows mahy OF thcm
to be people great intelligence aud the educational
standard of tho islands Inhabitants has parallel In
tho historv of err m in al stat, sites.