The herald., 1895-07-14
JA|LS AND JAIL REFORM
Some Pertinent and Practical
Suggestions
FROM DR.. WALTER LINDLEY
Separation and Occupation Advised as
Remedies
FROM DR.. WALTER ,LINDLEl
Our Jails an Evil Inheritance From Great
Britain - But Little Improved
Since I776

From time to time articles have ap-
peared in these columns in which the city
Jail has been the theme. viewed from
different standpoints. These articles have
been prepared and published for the pur-
pose of giving Los Angeles people COZ.
rect and faithful picture of the condition
of things as they now exist at central
station.
Below will bs found some pertinent and
practical suggestions from DR.. Walter
Lindley, who was made the subject OF
prisons and prison reform a matter of
study for some time, and therefore knows
whereof be speaks.
Comparisons are odious, but are at
times necessary for the best good results,
and serious consideration by the people
and the authorities upon what the Jail is
and what it might be should be produc-
tive of some good.
All prisons and jails should be reforma-
tory in their nature.
The two great curses OF our present jail
sytem are the promiscuous association OF
the prisoners and the lack of employ
ment
Our jails are an evil inheritance from
oIcdb Dlltdlus anu dIo UuL llttlc UcttcT
than those described by John Howard in
1776.
The prisoners during the day are idly
congregated in a common hall-old and
young, innocent and guilty-and are thus
permitted to contaminate each other at
leisure.
The young tyro in crime drinks in,
with ears and mouth wide open, the
highly celored tales of the mature des-
perado; revoltingly immoral anecdotes
assist in making the jail genuine crime
school.
Although . man or woman of very
strong character may possibly escape the
evil effects Of three to six months idle
association of tits horrible nature. yet q
man or woman dependent on daily toll
for daily bread is in no physical condi-
tion for hard work after such confine-
ment. l recently had occasion to note the
terrible physical effect of idle confinement
in our Los Angeles jails. The inmates
become fat and dabby with a deughy,
indicates lack Of endurance, bad assimi
latlon, and incipient disease.
Developing side by side with these ply
sical evils appear moral and mental loss.
In all directions there Is almost invari-
ably a loss of stamina; the inmate be.
comes relaxed, unnerved, unnamed.
When he goes from the prison walls into
is but one thing for him to do. and that
is to aga.n return to those same walls.
The remedy for these evils consists in
separation and occupation. There shonld
be three separate places of confinement.
First. place for men in charge of men.
Second, place for women in charge OF
women. Third, a1place for. juveniles in
charge of a man and his wife, sand there
too should the sexes be separated. Each
county should have board OF charities
and corrections. In Los Angeles county
the city council should unite with the
BOARD of supervisors and appoint board
of three or FIVE. on which there should be
women as well as men, and this board
should be clothed with authority to Off
ciaily investigate the management OF our
jails. hospitals and poor farm.
Such board OF charities and correction
should be composed OF educated, public
spirited citizens, who would be willing
to give careful study to the subject of jail
management and who would 5e glad to
give the necessary time free of charge.
There are such persons in Los Angeles.
Why should not Los Angeles lead in
solving this social problem.