Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-01
PRISON AND JAILS.
A Record Of the Years Work
in Them.
Strong Plea for 4 CEfsyman Il the
State Prison.
etatsmsnts OF Resources and Liabili-
tiss-condition Of County Jails.
The following 10 an abstract of the annual
report made to the Governor aud Council BY
the Inspectors Of Prisons and Jails:
State Prison.

9S0Io SIIoOQ.
During the year the Affairs Of the prison
have been conducted in very satisfactory
manner. The amount Of punishment has
been email. The food has been plain but
good and the health of eonviet generally
good. Many Improvements have been
made A medical dispensary established,
library moved to better location, broom
department and trim shop moved to the
brick building and new machinery added,
and new and necessary appliances added to
the cook-room. The stock account shows
that the warden has been very successful 10
collecting the notes and accounts turned
over by Warden Bean, the notes being
reduced in amount from Sl3 ,266 05 to
q $50 20. and the accounts fron $l4 766 67
70 81 1924 60.
The quality of the work in the broom
shop is improving and there is = steady de
mand for all that can be made, and this
industry conflicts but little with outside
work in the State.
The officers of the prison have all per-
formed their duties in satisfactory man
ner The State appropristes $500 for
Librarian and $3.50 for q Chaplain. The
religious Mt eds of the men have thus far
been attended to by the clergymen of
Thomaston in rotation aided by = Catholic
priest at agreed upon intervals. Although
these gentlemen perform their occasional
duties faithfully, We cannot expect for
the sum provided, their full time. Our ex
perience is that as much good is done by
personal iuiicious contact with the prison
ers as by weekly preaching. Hence atten-
ton is directed to the practice which prevaiis
in nearly all other States of combining in
one person the functions of chaplain and
teacher. This man would be . recognized
officer of the prison and would devote his
whole time to the educational, moral and
religious interests of the cOnvicts. He
would become acquainted with their history,
their tendencies, their capacities and their
needs. Part Of his duties would be to pro-
vide for each discharged prisoner, where
previously SO requested, an opportunity to
work at his trade or to engage in some re-
spectacle employment, so that at the crti-
cal moment when the man faces the world,
he would find place to shelter him.
1t is the experience of other States that
such provision tends to save men from that
encouragement which frequently leads to
renewed crimes. For these reasons we
would recommend that the functions of
chaplain, teacher and librarian be united in
one person, who should devote his whole
time to the prisoners and receive the pay
now given to these several officers, except
ing that this union should not initiate
against the employm ment of Catholic priest
a. before. This official should also have
charge Of the supervision of the pris oners'
correspondence, and thus greatly relieve
the asduous labors of the clerk. In event
of the salary being too small to secure the
services of suitable person. it could be
increased b, adding to it the fees received
from visitors, wholly or partially. We
wish some measure could be devised By
legislative action or private philanthrophy,
whereby helping hand could be extended
to the discharged prisoner. The majority
of these men leave the prison without
money, possibly without friends or home,
having, it is true, a trade, but without
means of finding employment at it. Under
these adverse circumstances, driven per
haps by hunger, is it to be greatly wondered
at that they fall into evil ways and commit
offences which again return them to custo-
H.,