The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-09-11
CONvICTS AND CONVICT LABOR.

The Illinois penitentiary at Joliet con-
tanned, August %, 1867 convicts, of whom
1,249 were at work for various contractors as
follows: 1900 men are engaged manufacture
ing cigars; upward of 400 in the boot and
shoe industries; $50 in the cooper shops;
nearly 100 In making saddles and harness;
the Ohio butt company employ 90 conyicts;
the Ohio brush company, So. There are 90
marble cutters; about 40 working at tailor
ing; SO at knitting; wire fence making, S."
The price paid to the state for the labor of
the convicts range from 30 cents to 70H
cents per day, and the state is able, at these
rates, to make its crime pay something
more than the expenses OF the prison, and
in 1875 the profits amounted to S5,907.52.
The Chicago Inter Ocean, from which we de-
rive these facts, also publishes an interview
with Warden McCloughry in which that
functionary takes decided ground against
the contract system. The interview pro-
ceeds as follows:
"What Is your personal experience in regard
to the CONTRACT system in vogue in the state
II think it is a bad and humiliating system,
a I'D IN fact stands IN the way OF reforming the
its way into the state penItentiary.
"Why?"
ain the first place the state authorities look
with favor only upon the fact that the peni-
Tertiary is 'self-supporting, to the utter disre-
gard of the re formation OF the inmates. An
endemic of semi-insanity has taken hold OF
legislators and prison managers which pre-
vents their adoption of system founded upon
a more enlightened humanity, for the asserted
reason that the state must not be burdened
with the cost of either the support. punish
menL or reformation of its convict classes
you contend this is bad policy"
''I do. most emphatically. The prison must
be seli-supporting, and whether not is
about the first question asked by an inquirer
after its welfare"
"What does this view carried out lead to-"
"Stmply to this-that after hundreds and
thousands of dollars have been expended by
state authorities to convict felon, it does not
care whether, after his term of Imprisonment
expires, he be turned out into society again
worse or better man: If the state owes TO
the criminal nothing but conviction and inn
prisonment, and it, when imprisoned nothing
further is to be expected or feared from him,
and If, when the heavy iron doors of the peni-
trievably lost to mankind, then these mer-
cenary demands, the results of this specu-
lative view, may be INDUCED in"
"Then l understand you to say the contract
system tends to increase instead of diminish
crime"
"Nfost assuredly it does. am compelled to
use the labor of the penitentiary in the way il
pays the best, regardless of the moral effect or
of the effect on the industries outside. For
instance, a man young in crime comes to the
penitenfiary. Improperly nodded, and If he
was put under the right kid of influences. he
might be completely refor oed, and the state
says put that man TO the work ne is best
adapted for, and consequently have 10 place
him in shop surrounded by some OF the
most utterly degraded and bad men. Those
men Will make a thief of that young man in
spite of himself"
"Can you explain why their influence is so
subtle, especially when We take into con-
sidere.ion the fact that no conversation is al
lowed"
ssThe new conner comes in contact with old
thieves, in the shops, and he must learn the
thieves dialect or he will be ostracised and ILL
treated by the gang whenever opportunity oc-
ours. This dialect is Ike the signal service,
they can do mighty sight of talking In
precious few words. Once let a young convict
learn this and get thoroughly imbued with
thievish ideas, and unless there is something
peculiar in his organism all the moral teach
ing will never reform him. can call to mind
case that illustrates this point There are
young c., who came to the prison under a
long sentence. He is a minister's son, and his
father feels terrible about him. There is some
good traits in that boy, but he VIII be COM
PEELED to learn the thieves dialect or be per-
secuted and prevented from obtaining the few
privileges accorded convicts. In fact, if he is
not let ont he will become confirmed thief.
The great danger IN making prisons paying
institutions, and in the convict labor system,
is that good men, who might be reformed, are