New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-02-04
Appeals from ordC
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
= PRISON PROFITS"

CIPLINE AND LABOR
To me Editor Of The Tr,oune.
SIR: Under the title, "Prison Profits" an
article was published IN THE TRIBUNE on the I'd OF
October which scarcely presents the question fairly ~
asserts that Of the prisoners discharged from Einirn'
not more than 10 per relapse or those who leave
the other State Prisons Sing Sing Auburn and Dame
mora no fewer than 60 per cent return TO criminal
The Board OF Managers OF the Elmra Reforma
tory in their report OF January IS. 1882 say;
The retcrma;Oy system Is based TPIn the he
ACES Of sixteen and thirty for time convicted of
crime and consgued 10 the custody Q! ths institutions
without definite period OF sentence by the court Shall
etc
II will thus be that all prisoners sent to this re-
formaory young both in years and In crime and are
therefore far amenabe 10 good Influences than ola
and mar aened criminals OF which there many be-
yond reformation In the State Prisons The managers Oh
the reiormatory further sayi
provision OF thalaw OF 1877 gives the management
authority 10 transfer any apparently incorfiglble
prisoners whose presence IN the retornstoy eas 70
be seriously detrimental 10 the webelns OF tue l1si-
tuition
By virtue of this privilege 81 incorgibes" have dur
ing the past years been transferred to Auburn
while lsj "hopefuls" have been transferred from
Auburn 20 Elmra; thus burdening thc Auburn prison
with the incorrrgibles and DEF irving It OF those who
gave the est promise OF reformation. The able supen
enden OF the reformatoy In his report OF September 80
1888 states that full 50 per cent have probably re-
turned To the community without resuming criminal
conduct" This percentage Is. TO certain extent
sumod The report states also;
The whole par9cd during the seven yenrsiss7o
OF these there served well and earned TIER absolute
serving vs. on parole
oneha Of those by expiration maximum e. %
tlnated as doing =
Toto, ~ a. no, cent 0sI
according to this IL cannot be said With any
certainty that more than 50 Ter cent have not and viii
not resume criminal conduct" and as the hna result
with the stiH uncertain and the habits ana even
the residences OF 30 unknown. the number OF
reformailons OF the remaining % per cent was pure
matter Of estimate Far be 1t from ne however to wish
10 deraci from the merits OF Mr.. BTockways admirable
system and management hut IN 50 important question
and one OF such public tho exact truth should be
stated In regard the state Prisons and state Penl-
,enaries ia the United states, exhaustive Inquiry
ana examination Of the records develops the fact that In
forty o, these Institutions Ca that reported under this
head, containing 23,l6l prisoners, only 2,s3i. or
l2 per cent have been in the r-ons more than
ence In the four Prisons OF NewYok, containing
33ia conycts but $50, II $40 per cent. have been
I'm those prisons before During tho past i've years LOS
men have been discharged from the Auburn Prison and
only AZ I'll per cent have been returned Chaplain
searls saysi
During the year 1898 there have been discharged
from this prison 800 have been TO considerable
trouble TO keep track OF these men Up - tni' use
United crime ana but four OF them have been returned to
prison.
During 1881 the number discharged from Sing Sing
Prison was 1885, while only 80 $40 por cent Of the
number have been returned 10 that prison. During the
year 1850 the number discharged from the three state
Prisons Of York LAS, and 10 the present time
only So or 7-lO per cent have been returned There
are no showing the commitments OF these men In
prisons outside the State Of NewYork and therefore
The total percentage OF reconyctons must bc matter
OF estimate but IL il fair 10 that II il lees than
90 per The percentage OF recomnitInents In
country prisons Ia found To be much lower than In those
Hanpshre state Prison writes that rccOmDltments aro
50 rare lac cannot give the percentage.
The report fromprison officials Is pretty uniform that
the recommltments OF who have acquired trdes are
few. The Of large contract In sing sling Prison
reports that during the past they have not
exceeded three per cent sni still lower percentage Is
reported by manager in the Auburn Prison. Further
evidence NAV cited of the rcfoTnaiOry influences at
work In penal institutions.
The population Of the state OF New.Yors. based 1900
upon The census Of 1850 Is estimated % DO 5i0So0J
system went into fuli operation sjI 600
Increase IL 80 per cent j5i,0OO
Prisons and one Beformaofy In 1877 a.5u
Decrease TO per cent $50
IL Ia claimed In quarters that this remarkable
showing Is due 70 an increase In the population OF our
five County Pententiaries Investigation disprOves this
claim.
The number IN 1877
The number In 1884
Decrease. 80
The Increase In the population OF the United states
since January !. 1877, Ia estimated TO be g. s5l Goa or
10 LILO per cent The returns FROM ifty-hve state
Prisons and State and County Penitentaries In this
try for the same time show increase OF 704 $40
per cent the refcIInatory hsracer
OF system Of labor aud discipline that existed In
prsOns during the past eight years must be ad-
mitted. With your permission will at later day at