The New York herald., 1877-01-21
HELPING THE CoNvICTS.


YORK PRISON ASSOCIATION DURING THE PAST
YEAR.
The annual report OF the New York Prison Associs-
ton TO the Legislature, showing the vast work that
has been accomplished during the year just closed u
in such an advanced stage Of completion that VIII
soon be gwen tho public II will be one Of the most
important documents the kind yet Issued by the a.
socation The association is now in the thirty
wear OF its existence and created for the purpose
Of Offering beforehand some aid 10 employment and
guarded kind OF friendship that prisoners would need
whom about 10 leave prisons and penitontarieA Al
tho same time IL has undertaken to discover what i'm
proyements in discipline and correctional troatmens
are practicable From tho year 1S47 up to the present
tmo has been steadily In conflict with the system Of
laws passed that year. which ruined what htt'o thers
was Of useful qualities OF the prison system OF NOW
York which had become famous the ''silent" o.
.Auburn system" The new constitutional amend
mept adopted at the-Ikst election will overthrow
the abuses which have grown up under 'ns
amendment OF 1s4e that made the stats
pr,sons of New York the implements Of partisan
abuses which no popular vote legislation could cor
rect md State Prison reform must now date from the
inauguration Of the superintendent OF state rrsonA
Tho Prison Association has we'll organized local COM
mttees in every county OF tho Statc embracing up
ward OF 800 educated and influential mon. who give
attention every month not only to the local Affairs
Of the jas and lockups but to some OF tho moro I'M
portant proceedings against crime.
These committees werc the bono and sinew OF the
war upon the old prison SYSTEM which Is now giving
place 10 the new all parts Of the State, shros coun-
ties excepted
NEW YORK BROOKLYN.
In the cities OF New York and Brooklyn the condi.
tion aud wants OF detained prisoners arc looked amer
daily by the Prison Associations general agent whose
oco is ut No. IS Nassau street. About 900 prisoners
were thus visited for purposes OF justice and humanity
during the past yoar. The Kings county local COM
mitteo main efficient service Of this kind, and
woli they may. Tor the Raymond Street jail IS recog'
nixod by ,hem to be the modern Black Holc Its cells
for men and boys from Two to seven prisoners
each and In the very nature OF things It Is found
:mpossibe for young prisoner out OF that In
ferna place as safo to society when ho went In.
The committee will push their duty IN the
matter until Brooklyn decent detention prison.
In Albany the local committee Is doing the same kind
of duty IN a crowded old jail which has long been unit
tor usc. Dr. Elisha Harris, corresponding secretary
OF the association reports that IN each county tnere
ia growing public opin In favor OF receiving back
aud employing convicts who promise to do we'll upon
being discharged from the prisons and pencntiaries
also there has been great increase IN The kindly
treatment Of such persons thus tending 70 dminish
crime by preventing the relapse Of criminals into
have been dong service like that which the famous
Crolon system doing, only tho latter II managed IN
more official way These committees report .ns.
number OF young ex-convcts who go directly TO work
upon leaving prison. Yet It only small percentage
| of tho whole number oil cOnvcts in the state that
leave the prisons without any kind OF preparaton but
few having any thorough training IN useful occupa-
| tions The ASSOCIATION entertain tho hope that the
| new prison system will from the beginning undertake
10 tram every young prisoner to somo means OF gam
inc livelihood In after lie Tho OF the penal
| Il shOtx
nearly 600 convics ut the end Of the last us.
cal year. and the day average in those prisons was
little over that number. Six pententuries admitted
during the year upwards OF 10000 convics, and dis.
| charged equal number There arc s'xty.seven
y,cts for minor offences. These alls contain ON an
average about 500 persons and do not include the
| police loci. ups throughout the cities
AN EXCEPTIONAL COUNTY.
In only one county OF the state have the local
| authorities provided employment for the jail In
mates, but III that one small county vagrants and
| bummcrs do good service. aud earn their bread BY
breaking stone. The experiment, however, 10 on too
small scale to be quoted as model of success The
matter Of making tnis class OF people their SUBJ
sistence has seriously engaged the attention OF the
officers and citizens oi the various couaties ana tne
| the Assembly, bill viii be introduced TO make
practicable and obligatory that part Of the sentence Of
and disordery persons which requires that
that they shall work hard labor The improved pc.
nal system Of Great BRIAN. Belgium and Switzerland
has greatly reduced the number Of convicts IN those
countries This result being brought ABOUT BY
t0nai treatment and not by new punishments or any
OF except tho terror o certainty and ce-
crty IN the detection and conviction oil the evildoer
The same system the Prison Association confidently
! hopo will accomplish the Same ends here
| EMPLOYMENT DISCHARGED COxvICTs.
| The number oil ex-convcls who have been offered
work by agents Of the association during the past
year was 900, aud tho number that have ac-
cepted and done we'll amount to seventy pcr cent
In seventy aud cities the association have
regular transactions with business firms, who employ
| discharged convcts upon tho agents recommendations
The resident agents stationed in Auburn, Clinton.
Albany, aud at tho Erie County Penentiary, where ell
| prisoners discharged are looked after.
Colonel A. W. Shelton Is the attorney and general
agent OF tho ASSOCIATION this city. Last ycar he
visited by 400 discharged convcts the MAJOR portion
| OF whom he aided In various ways
As the association receives but small appropriation
from the State 900 last year. and not paid ye they
cannot do well they wish 10 do An effort will be
made this year 10 got tho Legislature TO appoint
| State agent which will tend 70 materially assist AM
essen the labors Of the association.