The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-10-30


synepsis . : Paper On che suh)ses .
sCeunsy Ja,ls." showing rhslr pesnssal.
sslag Innuencs>s Read ~ nr. Eagene
smith. ef New York. before the Nastosaa
| Prsson Association - Dstrolts Mschs
DErnorr, Mlcu.. October ls.-Ths
| following u concise summary u
s,ar,llng paper on "county Jails" read
a the Annual Convention Of the National
| Prison Association now In session 10
thls city. by Mr. Eugene Smith. Of New
| YORK. Il presents vivid picture Of mo
| evils 70 tndividuals and 70 society ema.
mating from these lily contyived and
badly governed falsely so-callsd reform
atory institutions;
The great objection 20 the County Jails -
i mate commingling Of the inmates anu tnSir
unrestrained compnntonsntp. during me
daytime. ~ enc prisoners are nsrasn . 20.
ployment and without discipline the .sso.
Cation Il necessarily debasing and tends 70
vorss' The force OF this objection can be
| Understood only BY considering the diverse
elements witch mare up the population o.
e sss different ana distinct purp oses;
| drst. ~ places OF imprisonment under pcnhi
sentence o. persons rn4 ns 'a cern sss
until trial for persons who are accused o.
the persons thus detained comprise many
innocent persons, as well ~ culprits OF every
| grade. from young men who have committed
I'd on 4 downward career, 20 old, hardened
criminals who have passed large traction
OF their lives In prison and are guilty OF we
nal law. All these different classes. the m
nocent and tEe guilty. the young ana the old.
ne novice ana ses Sasps , n ne nsn
distinction, and all are thrown together 10
promiscuOus association.
The County JAN IL IKE hospital where. u
such an ahsirdity can be imagined, NIL She
patients are confined In Q single room with
out any regard 20 the contagious character
| fering. In the jail. as II to insure Infection,
the prisoners are kept IN enforced idleness
and so. as by malevoient forcing. the leav.
en- or unrghteousness IL made to pervaue
These are the reasons why the County Jails
are declared by every one who nas , inyss. ~
More Of the Vice ana crime that prey upon
corrupfing Influences OF the County jail than
20 any other cause, no. excepting the use o.
intoxicating liquors" -
are % widespread and universal that Y
would be difficult to say which state IN the
Union Y entitled 60 ne pre- ,en, , nee .e o.
. | still exist that characterized them nifty and
even 4 hundre ed years ago. The movement
nchisvsd the most s N arSed results. has been
o the higher srsde: and 80 the Counsy
a well as the most disuracesul
J element in orr political orxan,sm 2, !,
| OF revolution. are insisted on as absolutely
|. indispensabie The frst OF these y tn
/. elimination from the County jail OF Al per
sons convicted and under sentence, ana tn
80 an n, N "A n
: tention for persons accused Of crime until
{ trial: and during this period OF prcllmlnar,
prisoner should be confined IN
separate apartment where commn
:. nisas,on WITH other s inmates ,so,.,,o,
a is essential as the only means OF avoidini
. the moral cont ainination resulting from a.
I. sociaton: and is useful. too. ~ q chassenin,
d | and heaithfui q lscipline 90 the prisoner. Few
\ OF tile existing County Jails are 80 construct
: ed as 70 answer the requirements OF reph
rate n re- but 4 Is true Of ~
vast majority OF them that they are worth
4 only OF utter destruction. For sanitary rea
= De ievelel 20 the ground with righteous in
,e the second measure Of reform advocate
:. n the estabIishment OF suitable reformtor
- prisons 20 receive the County jail convicts
Q better rcformatory results ara attained N
ssn M Pls defined limits and sin lie reform
~ afory prison would meet the demands {
= four eight or twelve counties according :
u nrisons reauired' therefore. should not
= county institutions; the county organizatio
Id Il III. adapted 20 the maintenance Of pun
o ON principle Pa,sHni, Why the county shout
Il undertake 10 punish offenses agains
Ssa, e.sy and ali convlcss Of Whatever zrad
No should be delivered over 20 the state, While
r. ought 70 control all prisons for the punish
The advsntares OF such centralized admir-
istration would consist In securing uniform
isy in the application Of penal Jnstie
throughout the state. In Increased emcenc'
ID and In the Introduction OF more scientin
a methods OF reforsnative principle: Az On
prisons in England nave been maze snples
TO the central administration OF the HON
le Department and since the adoption Of ths
a measure the decrease OF crime IN Englon
IN answer 20 tie economic objection thl
u. the reforms proposed involve large expen'
r. iture OF money, two suggestions are mad
e. proved methods Of prison discipline Will :
!. form "A. .. will divert from life Of crime ~
~ turn into law abiding and self supportlr
~ jected to treatment The result u nov aetna
Z " in progress M the Elmra Reformatory a
that too with felon convscss Guilty q ~ ~ y,
!. dicased BY positive figures that the saving
~ she community computed IN actual mon
rens ~ our o ,a,l ie eonv;css. would be sncis
aalis In the United states. The other suggt
~ tion IN answer 70 the economic objection
u. OF different character. Our civilization
~ menaced by subtle forces nj work under :
names Of socialism, communism. nihhis1
- these forces are yearly acquiring systt
~ and strength. and are openly hostile 20 y
or and order. TO property, 20 every. organic
government, 20 religion, TO all that max
life worth living. IL - 60 the crimir
al classes that these lawless Organization
az owe their energy and deadly persistenc
and 10 II certain that from the Coun
~ Jails comes steady column OF recruits
swell their ranks. That now must
~ stopped. at whatever cost; u - not qu,
~ tion OF paltry economies. but ueeess
re for self .prcservation-an urgent ana sacr
mi duty OF citizenship.
HE Hosmlcite.