The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-01-28
THE ELMIRA REFORMATO TORY.

The sixteenth Year Book" of the New
York State Reformatory has been issued
1t is volume of over $50 pages and taken
altogether is perhaps the most remarkable
official prison report ever issued. Besides
the customary annual reports of the board
of managers. the superintendent and other
local officers, lengthy description is given
of the institution and the system of man
agement. The book contains many engrav.
ings picturing the institution and life
therein. But the most noteworthy feature
of the book is the fact that it is almost
With the exception of the formal reports
all the matter was prepared by the editor of
The Summary. the RefOrmatOry paper.
There are few free editors able to equal the
turn out a job of finer finish. The pages
are full of information of an interesting as
we'll as valuable nature. We make two
brief extracts, the first from the Managers
report:
The words of the sentence. 'hard labor
in prison" imply rigor and mercilessness
which are begOtten of crude ideas of justice,
which remain as heritage from former
period of jurisprudence. Whatever would
crush the cOnvict's spirit, and make prison
life harsh and oppressive. and encourage
no hope against the day of his release, was
ingenOusly devised and Systematically fol
lowed, but not for the benefit of the man
apd oil fnr tho UOOd of tho nuhIio hoe
taken long time to learn that men cannot
be improved by such treatment, that word
of encouragement is better for man in
misfortune than frOwn or blow, and
that efforts to set him on his feet when he
is fallen, are more to be commended, even
in selfish estimate of business ways and
interests, than to make his falling perma-
nent and degrading.
After speaking of refOrmatOry work I'M
dertaken and accomplished Supt. Brock
way concludes as follows:
But notwithstanding all these facilities
and efforts, including also proper attention
to the religious impression of the men, and
Notwithstanding the large percentage of re-
habilitations shown by the reports of this
institution. many are apparently not reached
so as to be released as safe and respectable
ing to reclaim the hayward by moral means
alOne-and indeed by any and every means
known to the intelligence of the time-must
often turn away depressed, if not actually
discouraged. at his failures. and for COM
fort and encouragement must recur to the
truth that every good influence or effort for
our fellow men, however defective or de-
PRAYED they may be. is not lost for time,
and if not for time then surely not for eter-
nifty. Some betterment is accomplished:
the life will be more or less Influenced by it.
Scientists must vet find for us the true
source of anti social behavior. very likely
| to be discovered in the material substance,
the defective tissue of the man. Then ex-
perience must demonstrate the methods and
the possibility of permanently changing the
channels of nervous action. producing ha-
bitually improved conduct. which is refor-
nation indeed. For such an end. it is
probable that much more attention will be
bestowed upon the organism of the man,
and that it's preparation for right impress
siOns will be sought from two avenues of
approach, instead of One-thrOugh the body
ITSELF and by way of the mind. Is it not
possible that the activity of interest and
scientific research in criminal anthrOpology,
especially in Europe. and the Investigations
as to the power of suggestion in hynotism
may supply additional light upon this most
obscure of human problems?