The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-21
Our Barbarous Civilization.

The abuses and stupidities OF our system
OF punishments for criminals are so great
and numerous, and Its administration is SO
bad in very important particulars, that civ
ilizcd society ought to compel reform Of tho
evils in order to justify its pretensions to en-
lightened humanity-to common sense even.
However much we may have advanced In
other directions, we aye still far behind the
best European practice so for as concerns
penal justice and the treatment Of criminals.
The condition Of things ID not SO disgrace
full as it was In the days when De ToCQUE-
WILLIE said, Tho iais OF the United States
are the worst have ever seen" but 1t is bad
enough yet. There has been great improve
mcnt in certain institutions and among GER
tain communities, 1t is true, but our common
county jails, even in the State OF New York,
are still wrctched habitations, for the most
part, where the inmates are confirmed in
vicious habits. so that when they are turned
loose the crime into which perhaps they
only casually fell becomes their regular pro-
fcsson. They are made chronic and bitter
enemies of society.
1t is fortunate, therefore, that we have
benevolent society, incorporated by the
State, whose function 1t Is to labor for the
amelioration OF the condition OF prisoners,
the Improvement OF prison discipline, and to
direct released convcts into better paths
than those into which their jail associations
and tho suspicion OF the community would
force them. This society is the Prison Asso-
citation OF New York, in which many men
whose names command the confidence Of the
public are engaged as officers and COPPER
4 t,,t
The Prison Reform Conference at Newport,
in 1877. denounced our iail system as "a dis
grace TO civilization. hopecssly, irremcdiably
bad: an attempt to cure crime, the offspring
of idlcncss, by making ideness compulsory,
and to teach virtue by enforced association
with those who scOlr at virtue, duty, and
religion" That language so severe was
justified at that time. the reports before
the association abundantly proved and now
we find in the last annual report OF the
Prison Association that it is still applicable
to our county iails. Local committees who
have examined into the jais, almost with
out exception tell the same story. The sexes
are usually separated. perhaps, "but no fur
ther attempt to separate the classes confined
Is thought practicable in most county jails.
No work is provided except what may DO
| found about the SherifTs house. In nearly
all there is the same complaint OF Insecurity,
unhealthfuness, and cost"
The expense OF maintaining the prisoners
| In idleness and so schooling them in vice and
crime, varies from two dollars and half to
four dollars week each, according to the Jail.
1t has been computed from the statistics Of
Sing Sing that tho criminal career OF a con-
| ,i, 10 I - ,vht lob y q m In
criminal liberty and 3.5l in prison." His
life is shortened by the effect Of confinement
In an unwhOlesOme prison; and the only en-
ploymcnt for which the mass Of convicts are
fitted physically, or for which they have o
moral capacity, after their prison life and its
associations, ia that OF crime. They return
to society worn-Out husks Of men," As a
physician familiar with prison hygiene de-
scrlbes them. "thoy are ready prey to any
disease. and without that virile vlgor and
manly strength which carries men with ease
and confidence through their toll, and ena-
bles them to bear up bravelv under the inev-
table and natural burdens Of life" In every
way they are outcasts and pariahs, and after
again plundering society while at liberty
they return to the prison TO be longer Gagged
and maintained by society.
Tho remedy the Prison Association sug
gests for the cure OF tho evils OF the county
jails especially. Is most radical one. It Is
to abolish them altogether as prisons, con
vert them into houses Of detention. with q
lookup for ten days prisoners, perhaps, and
to substitute In their place system Of dis
trlct warehouses;. They could have farms
attached, not necessarily for profit, but II
furnish supplies to the prison and work to
the prisoners. County iails would then b