St. Paul daily globe., 1889-01-09
AGAINST COUNTY JAILS.
Schools of Crime Maintained at
Public Expense.

The quarterly meeting of the state
board of corrections and charities was
held yesterday, Messrs. Fl. r. Wells,
Preston; d. G. Bell, Minneapolis; :;
G. Vivian, Alexandria; J. w. Will
lis and DR.. S. G. Smith, st. Paul.
being present. President Wells sub
mitted two special reports, the first
being devoted to district warehouses.
In connection with this subject he said: I:
''The administration of our penal
statutes is designed, first, for the pro-
lection of the community from the
depredations of the lawless; second,
adequate punishment of the offenders; {;
and third, their reclamation and reform
alton. Aside from homicides and petty
offenders upon whom fines are imposed,
we are practically limited in this state
to commitment of criminals to the COM
mon Jail or to the state penitentiary, in
adequate as it is believed they
are for the accomplishment of the
ends sought. Our common jail is an eX-
crescence,iand justly conceded and de-
nounced by every one who has given it
even the most casual attention, as an
abomination and crime against civiliza-
ton. 1t is an OutgrOwth of barbariSm.
substitute for the whipping post and
chain-gang, without their merits. In
stead of subscribing the purpose for
which penalties are imposed. as affect
ing the culprit himself, it is an aggra-
yatiOn and a menace to the state.
The old and the young, the ex-
perienced thief, the first offender,
witnesses and parties simply charged
with offenses are Observation-Disclosures
inately. and every contamnating intiu-
ence known to the race is brought to
bear to corrupt the minds and morals of
those so associated. No classification is
made OF attempted. They are warmed,
fed and clothed at the public expense
and maintained in idleness. The vicious
their experiences and make the Jail a
veritable school of crime at the
public expense. AS rule they
are unwholesome. made just in viting
enough to induce the depraved to pilfer
to the degree that they may secure COM
initial to spend the winter in idleness
and be clothed and fed by the public
and daily wants attended 20 by we'll
paid officials. They should be abol-
ished or greatly limited in number, eX-
cept for temporary detention. and a
system of district prisons established at
local expense, but under the super
vision of the state. with provision for
state aid in part.
Mr.. Wells, speaking of the chronic
insane. the subject of his recent report,
advocated the adoption of the Wisconsin
plan in caring for these people. Small
county asylums should be provided to.
accommodate from sixty TO 100 patients.
A charge should be made upon each
county in providing for its chronic in
sane, and counties maintaining asylums
in manner satisfactory to the state
should receive an allowance from the
state treasurer of 81 50 per week for
each patient maintained. The board
unanimously adopted the following:
Resolved. That the governor be re-
quested to call joint meeting Of the board
of prison inspectors, the board of manage
ment of the st. Cloud Reformatory and the
board of corrections and charities together
with the prison committees of the Legislature
to consider what legislative measures are de-
sirable in order to promate efficient cooper
alton between the prison and the reforma-
tory.