The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-06-05

To the Hon : q. Wider. President 0i
the Legislature a the H ySiian Kingdom,
Your Special Committee on prisons snd
management OF prisons, appointed st the
last session q the Legislature, beg lezve TO
present the following report;
The committee have sought 10 obtain
information relating 70 the prisons snd
islis OF the Kingdom, aud the manner in
which the prisoners Sre cared tor, Sna al
though several months have elapsed. since
their appointment, they have not collected
al the fscgS they hsve desired.
Oahu PriSon-To this prison our stren-
non has been chiefly directed. both on
account OF its importance and because OF
the facility q obtaining tSctS relating 70 II
From the personal Inspection OF mem
hers o. the committee and information Oh
tanned from other sources. we find much
to commend IN the management OF the
prison under the present 5SiloT, CsptSin
Melvin Staples
The cells. premises and property Of the
prison are al cared Tor, the cleanliness
zud order maintained are excellent and
the economical management StIsStS the
wzrchful and the prudent care Of the
officers n charge
The system Of employing the prisoners
upon the rOSds snd other public works Is
practically the same which has been fol-
lowed for many years The committee
were pleased. however, 70 note rhSr the
practice OF sending individual prisoners 10
WORK during the dzy for private parties. -
also permitting prisoners 70 drive mule
carts IN work upon the rOSCS. h2S been al
most wholly discontinued.
The system OF employing persons upon
work such - various branches Of rOSd
making, on the WhzrvsS. 81 the Govern
ment building, and ST the Insane Asylum,
L not conducive 70 good discipline, Tor
when divided into many small companies,
proper supervision cannot bs maintained,
but the practice followed III The past of
hiring them 10 WORK FOR private parties
about town VAS productive o. much greater
evils. and should never 4s4In De permitted
Iii 70 b regretted thSJ suitable Snt
Profitable wOTA cannot oS provided on the
prison premises for all 81 the prisoners
There zre many objections 10 the nature
OF the present employment; men of all
SEes, nstion2litleS, Snd degrees OF guilt
are alike exposed 10 the public g2ze while
81 EorS- Under the present system elaS-
SihCztIon Of the prisoners IN 5 degree 70
os Of any yslue, Is very difficult.
Among the Improvements which are
needed N the buildings 4nd on the grounds
81 Oahu Prison. are
More cells for the accommodation OF
: prisoners. and $ better arrangement for
locking the cell doors,
Better bathing znd closet arrangements;
{ proper sewerage from the b4thS, closets
zn0 kitchen.
CeilS-There are 81 present but 81 cells
available for occupation, while there Is zn
average Of 10 prisoners confined IN the
prison. Ii / very desirable that each priS-
Oner should Be plsce1 IN g cell By himself
/ The practice Of combining more than one
I prisoner in each cell l. pSruici0us. and has
( been discarded wherever practicable IN en-
{ lightened countries.
This can only be accomplished By en-
{ lsrgingt he grounds and erecting more
buildings for the present grounds are insult
/ 6Cienr. but Ne deem Il Of sufficient import
amer 70 recommend that plans tor enclOS-
/ ing more ground and Of new buildings,
and estimates Ot cost, be ordered 10 be
mzce BY the Superintendent OF Public
I WORKS and reported 10 the Legislature -
early - practicable
The STerSge number Of prisoners con
/ hred II Oahu Prison during each Of the
last six biennial periods has been = fol-
! lows:
Tao years ending March 81. ISIS, an
average Of -; lSs0, rs ISS2. 15e; 1884.
I53; 1855, I72.I2, ISIS, 140.Se
The present method Of securing the cell
doors after the inmates sTe shut IN Is 10
lock each door with : separate paddock.
which appears 70 Dc dangerous. The 10ors.
partitions between the cells. and the doors
are al made OF wood, and IN case Of ire
II might Be impossible 70 unlock all OF the
doors and some Of the prisoners would
perish.
CzytsiR Staples stated to the committee
that feasible and safe method could Be
adopted BY, which al Of the doors in each
corridor Could Be locked snd unlocked
from : station 81 the end Of the corridors
We recommend that strention be given
70 the subject
Baths and CIosetS-The present provi-
sICnS for bathing and EGter-ClOsers are in
adequate Both have been much i'm
proved within few years, tut they could
Be much further improved 81 small eI-
psnSe.
erage-There are no proper sewers
o. Grsjn> Leading from the prison grounds.
and the health OF the inmates i endauz-
cred IN consequence The location OF the
PRISON L such that proper sewers can be
Constructed st small costs.
" bile there are other improvements in
the buildings and grounds that we might
suggest, me foregoing sppear 10 the com
Elirtee 70 Be those most needed
Prison DiScipline-It Is upon the subject
% prison discipline that the committee
feel the most hesitation in Offering recon-
mendzrions
II Is 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
methods have been adopted, and radical
changes have been made in many OF the
large prisons in the GU toms and usages
which formerly prevailed.
The theory that the object Of imUriSon-
msnt i solely 10 punish the offender. has
gwen plsee to the broader view that Il i also
for the protection and benefit Of society bv
placing him for period where he can do
no harm and where every reasonable iniu-
ence may b eIerted 70 make him again
useful member Of society
But IN applying these modern principles
there are so many considerations to be
weighed that very lev OF them can BE-
adopted With safety, until they have been
fully considered by persons who have had
sufficient opportunities for observing the
workings Of the existing system. and who
can suggest notifications which viii aSapt
them tn the situation.
For these reasons and on general princi-
pies, We urge the appointment Of q Board
OF Prison Inspectors OF Managers. Who shall
supervise the prison discipline
such directors or managers are deemed
Of great importance In many OF the Unirei
States, and the suggestion Is not new here.
for the laws OF 1851 provided for the au-
pOintment Of Prison Inspectors on the
Islands Of Hawaii. Maui, Oahu and Kauai.
and for several years such Inspectors were
appointed; and in 1854. upon the recon-