The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-06-02
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
Fourth Day.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Prisons-The following report was read
by Noble Smith:
To the Hon. S. g. Wilder, President OF
the Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
Your Special Committee on prisons and
management of prisons, appointed at the
last session of the Legislature, beg leave to
present the following report:
The committee have sought to obtain
information relating to the prisons and
jails of the Kingdom, and the manner in
which the prisoners are cared for, and al
though several months have elapsed since
their appointment, they have not collected
all the facts they have desired.
Oahu Prison-TO this prison our atten-
ton has been chiefly directed, both on
account of its Importance and because of
the facility of obtaining facts relating to IT..
From the personal inspection of mem
bers of the committee and information OBJ
tanned from other sources, we find much
to commend in the management OF the
prison under the present jailOr, Captain
Melvin Staples.
The cells, premises and property of the
prison are all cared for, the cleanliness
and order maintained are excellent and
the economical management atteSts the
Watchful and the prudent care of the
officers in charge.
The system of employing the prisoners
upon the roads and other public works is
practically the same which has been fol-
lowed for many years. The committee
were pleased, however, to note that the
practice of sending individual prisoners to
work during the day for private parties, as
also permitting prisoners to drive mule
carts in work upon the roads, has been al
most wholly discontinued.
The system of EMPLOYING persons upon
work, such as various branches OF road
making, on the WharVeS, at the Govern
ment building, and ut the Insane Asylum,
is not conducive to good discipline, for
when divided into many small companies,
proper supervision cannot be maintained,
but the practice followed i'll the past of
hiring them to work for private parties
about town was productive OF much greater
evils, and should never again be permitted,
1t is to be regretted that suitable and
profitable work cannot be provided on the
prison premises for all of the prisoners.
There are many objections to the nature
of the present employment; men OF all
ages natiOnalitIes and degrees of guilt
at work. Under the present system elias
SificatiOn of the prisoners, in degree to
be of any value, is very difficult.
Among the improvements which are
needed in the buildings and on the grounds
at Oahu Prison, are:
More cells for the accommodation of
prisoners, and a better arrangement for
locking the cell doors;
Better bathing and closet arrangements;
proper sewerage from the baths, closets
and kitchen.
Cells-There are at present but 81 cells
available for occupation, while there is an
average Of 40 prisoners confined in the
prison. 1t is very desirable that each pris-
Oner should be placed in Il cell by himself.
The practice of combining more than one
nriS in pil * has
been Discarded wherever practicable in en-
lightened countries.
This can only be accomplished by en-
largingt he grounds and erecting more
buildings for the present grounds are insult
fcient, but we deem it of sufficient import
ance to recommend that plans for enclOs-
ing more ground and of new buildings,
and estimates of cost be ordered to be
made by the superintendent of Public
Works and reported to the Legislature as
early as practicable.
The average number of prisoners con-
fined in Oahu Prison during each Of the
last six biennial periods has been as fol-
lows:
Two years ending March 81, 1878, an
average OF -; 1880, us; 1882, 159; 1884,
1873; 1886, 1922 1888, 140.69.
The present method of securing the cell
doors after the inmates are shut in, is to
lock each door with a separate paddock,
which appears to be dangerous. The floors,
partitions between the cells, and the doors
are all made of wood and in case of fire
it might be impossible to unlock all of the
doors and some of the prisoners would
perish.
Captain Staples stated to the committee
that feasible and safe method could be
adopted by which all of the doors in each
corridor COnld be locked and unlocked
from station at the end of the Corridors
We recommend that attention be given
to the subject.
Rat he 70
siOnS for bathing and water-clOsets are in
adequate. Both have been much i'm
proved within few years, but they could
be much further improved at small ex-
penSe.
Sewerage-There are no proper sewers |
or drains leading from the prison grounds, |
and the health of the inmates is endang-
cred in consequence. The location of the |
prison is such that proper sewers can be |
at small costs.
While there are other improvements in |
the buildings and grounds that we might |
suggest, the foregoing appear to the com
mittee to be those most needed.
Prison Discipline-It is upon the subject |
Of prison discipline that the committee
feel the most hesitation in offering recon-
1t is a subject that has received, and is
receiving, the most thoughtful attention of |
men of experience in the enlightened cOun-
tries of the world. Various systems and
IlSIIlOOlS nave D6eIl duOpG0u, ana radical
changes have been made in many of the
arge prisons in the customs and usages
which formerly prevailed.
The theory that the object of imprison-
nent is solely to punish the offender, has
siVen place to the broader view that II is also /
or the protection and benefit of society by
placing him for period where he can do
10 harm and where every reasonable inf1U-
,nce may be exerted to make him again
Useful member of society.
Twin
here are SO many considerations to be
weighed that very few of them can be
ldopted with safety, until they have been
ully considered by persons who have had
ufficient opportunities for observing the
of the existing system, and who
AN suggest notifications which will adapt
hem to the situation
For these reasons and on general princ-
lies, we urge the appointment of a Board
If Prison Inspectors or Managers, who shall