The Hawaiian gazette., 1889-07-23
PRISON REPORT.
First Semi-AnnuaI Report of the In
spectors of Prisons.
Honolulu, April 4. 1889.

SIR: We have the honor TO report
that on September 81, 1888, We received
| Your Excellency's Commission appoint
ing us members of the Board OF Prison
Inspectors, and that on November .,
1888, a copy OF the Session laws of 1888,
containing the Act entitled can Act pro-
viding for Prison Inspectors and defining
their duties and powers" approved on
the 23d day OF June, 1888, was for
warded to each member OF the Board ;
that on November Z, 1888, the Board
met and organized itself. and that in ac-
cordance with law a proper notice OF the
fact was duly advertised.
The Board has from time to time Wis
tied the Oahu gaol, and is glad to report
that its order and sanitary condition are
good sanitary requirements suggested
by the Board having been properly car
ried out.
On the occasion of the last visit OF the
Board to Oahu gaol, the prisoners were
$50 convicts and 3 persons committed for
trial. OF these, II were Hawaiian men,
l was a Hawaiian woman, 20 were Chin
csc men, were Japanese men, and s
were men of other foreign races.
The general health OF the prisoners is
\ satisfactory eight being in hospital at
| the time of the Boards last visit.
We have the honor to submit with this
report copy OF certain Rules which we
have framed they are as follows:
! RULE l. All convicted prisoners shall
be divided into three grades. All con-
| victed prisoners shall upon conviction
enter the second grade, and shall be pro-
NOTED into the first grade by special good
| conduct or degraded into the third grade
| by special or confirmed bad conduct, as
| such conduct may be established in the
opinion OF the Board of Prison Inspectors.
Prisoners OF the first grade shall be
assigned to the most desirable cells, as
| far as possible distinctly from the other
prisoners they shall be allowed to mess
| together and apart from the other prison
ers; they shall have such preferences as
NAV be practicable in respect OF mess
comforts, and longer hours of liberty
than prisoners OF the other grades; they
shall wear uniform dress OF blue denim
and black felt hat, OF pattern to be APP
proved by the Board OF Prison Inspectors; ;
and in going to and from their places
| of work they shall be permitted to walk
in threes.
Prisoners OF the second grade shall re-
ceive the usual prison accommodation
and treatment; they shall wear a uni
form dress OF the usual parti-colored de-
scription and material; and in going to
and from their places OF work they shall
walk in twos.
Prisoners OF the third grade shall have
their meals in their cells, and as TAR as
possible shall be assigned to separate
cells and deprived OF intercourse with
other prisoners; they shall wear in addi-
ton to the uniform dress OF the usual
parti-colored description and material
and the usual straw hats, red mark in
the shape OF circle on the back Of the
blouse, and in going to and from their
places OF work they shall walk in single
file in lockstep.
RULE .. All prisoners committed for
trial shall be permitted to mess separ-
ately from convicted prisoners.
RULE 3. The overseers OF gangs shall
each keep a journal or time-book, in
which he shall each night enter a report
of the days conduct OF each prisoner in
his charge as ''good," ''bad, " or ''indif-
ferent, and the Superintendent OF the
gaol shall at least each week inspect the
said books.
RULE 4. No prisoner shall receive a
communication of time for any month in
which he shall have been reported on
more than one occasion as bad" or
indifferent" in conduct, unless the
Superintendent OF the Gaol shall by
personal enquiry ascertain that the re-
port was incorrect or unjust.
RULE 5. The Superintendent OF the
Gaol shall each day personally inspect
all the gangs OF prisoners whilst at their
work and observe their manner of work.
ing, and shall also note the manner in
which the overseers appear to perform
their duties.
RULE g. The Superintendent of the
Gaol shall assign each prisoner to such
work as seems to be best adapted to the
strength and ability of such prisoner.
RULE Z. The journals or time-books
shall be kept at the gaol for inspection
by the Board OF Prison Inspectors on
such DAYS as the Board shall name to
the Superintendent.
RULE S. In no case shall commuta-
ton of sentence be allowed except in
consideration OF special good conduct
We have also the honor to submit to
Your Excellency the following sugges-
tions:
We respectfully suggest that for the
better enforcement OF order and disci- !
pline amongst the prisoners, the officers
in charge OF the Oahu Gaol and OF the |
gangs of prisoners employed in labor
shall at all times wear uniform dress, !
to be prescribed by Your ExcelIency,
and when on duty out OF doors shall
always be on foot or mounted.
We further respectfully suggest that in
cases OF arrest for bailable offences a /
form OF bail-bond should be furnished to |
the arrested person, and filed out forth
with, if required by such person, by an
officer appointed for the purpose without |
fee or charge therefor; and that a re-
quest for bondsman shall be forthwith /
forwarded by such officer to any person /
designated within the limits OF Homo
lulu.
Your Excellency has called the atten-
ton OF the Board to the slack manner in
which the labor OF the prisoners is per
formed: Rules 3, ) and are intended
to remedy this defect. 1t is the opinion
OF the Board that the thoroughly proper
OF the prisoners can only
be secured by personal daily inspection
by the Superintendent of the Gaol of
both overseers and prisoners whilst the
gangs are at work and this is matter
which the Board deems to require Your
direction.
We respectfully request that Your
will cause to be provided the