The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-04
REFORMATORY AND PRISON.
Question of Separate Institutions Discussed
by the Board Of Charities.

Below is given the report of the commit
tee on prisons and refOrmatories upon the
ema ReformatOry and Woman's Prison
from the forthcoming annual report of the
State Board of Charities. The valuable
point in 1t Is its discussion of separating
the prison and reformatory departments in
different buildings. one that has been much
discussed since the recent fire. Apparently
this portion of tho report was made M be-
fore the fire occurred. 1t is as follows:
There have been no changes of impor-
necessary to say that the general manage
ment continues to deserve high cOmmenda-
ton. The reformatory side is rather
crowded with inmates. There would be
little too much room for classification
every kind of work if the entire building
were devoted to the reformatory work.
"a general sentiment is growing in the
community IN favor of q more or less CON-
plete separation of the two institutions.
which are conducted under one general
management with the above title. The
organic law under which these institutions
were constructed says very clearly that
they shall be separate. The section as to
buildings. reads: The said institutions
departments, one of which shall be desig-
mated as the "reformatory department"
and the other as the penal department"
Both of said institutions shall be under
the management of the same officers; but
separate buildings for the inmates of each
department. shall be provided on the same
grounds (See Z. s.. $780, This law was
not obeyed in the construction. the
door. and the two classes of inmates as
semble in the same room for religious ex-
e~rcises, although they do not meet at any
other time. 1t will hardly be questioned
that there would be advantages in a com.
plete separation of the buildings. So long,
however. as the two departments are
under one management and ON the same
grounds. the effect upon the public mind
of their association will be felt. With the
general public. an institution inevitably
takes It's character from the worst
the most numerous, class of it's
inmates. This was felt by the managers.
who. by an act of the Legislature of 1889,
procured the change of name from The
Reformatory Institution for Women and
Girls" to the Reform School for Girls and
Woman's Prison. hoping to disassociate
In the public mind. the r~eformatory work
for the girls from chat for adult criminals;
although in doing so they ran the risk Of
being misunderstood to nave abandoned
the hope OF reforming any OF the adults. IL
any change shall be made. great care
should be taken to avoid; an implication
that. In the opinion of the Iaw-makers of
the State of Indiana. any woman convicted
of crime Is incapable of reformation. Such
an opinion is directly against our noble
basis of the penal code shall be the princi-
pie of reformation.
"A separation ofeven greater Importance
than the one above mentioned should be
made. When the institution was erected
several classes of girls were specified as
eligible for admittance. Among them were
those about whom it could be proven that
such infant is destitute of o suitable home
and of adequate meads of Obtaining an
honest living. or that she IL in danger of
being brought up to lead an idle and I'M
moral life.' and the age is not specified, eX-
cept that the girls must be under the ago
of fifteen years. In the year 1869. when
this law was enacted. there were few
orphans homes in the State; such q law as
that of the Board of Children's Guardians
was not dreamed of; the progress that has
since been made. In the knowledge and the
practice of the care of dependent children,
had scarcely been begun. A similar law
prevailed for many years with regard to
commitment to the Reform School for Boys.
but was changed by an act of the Legisla-
ture of 1883. since which year no boy can be
legally committed except for crime. or for
incorrigibls or vicious conduct. There can
be no question that innocent children. who
are dependent through the fault or mis-
fortune of their parents, ought not to be
sent to an institution the majority of whose
inmates are committed for crime. If the
fact of having lived under the same roof
with adult criminals is an additional and
unjust stigma npon a girl who has herself
been committed for crime or vice. surely it
is still more unjust to allow such a stigma
to rest upon one who is wholly innocent.
ut is not claimed that these children are
associated directly with the older girls in
such q way as to be corrupted. The Off
GERS of the institution do all they can to
avoid such corruption. 1t is admitted. also.
that some Of the children are brought from
much worse associations, and that they
come from counties which have made no
proper provision for dependent children.
These considerations do not change the
serious import of the facts. The knowledge
that dependents children, In danger of being
brought up to n life of vice. could be no
longer received in the State reform sc hOOl
would undoubtedly prompt some of the
commissioners of counties not having or
phan homes to erect them or TO make arrange
ments with some of the excellent societies
which receive dependent children from
several counties. In some proper way pro-
vision could and would be made for these
little girls. of whom there are quite o seri-
Gus number now in the institution"