The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-12-10

a place again. There is now an Oppor-
tunity to make a life long impression
for good upon this young man. What
he needs is a chance to reflect quietly
upon his experience and to confirm the
impression which has been made upon
him. But what do we do at this mo-
ment of opportunity We thrust him
into steel cage in company with from
one to fifty other prisoners where it is
too dark to read with comfort, where
he has no place to sit down except a
canvass hammock, where he can not
keep himself free from vermin, where
he has no opportunity for privacy. By
night he is locked in cell six and one
half by nine feet, with from one to five
other prisoners. BY day he has the
liberty of a corridor four feet wide,
where he is placed on inspection like
wild beast in menagerie.
When he enters, the older prisoners
cry "fresh fish," ascertain whether he
has any tobacco and inquire as to the
news outside. They discover that he
is "soft" and proceed to ridicule his
feelings of penitence and shame. They
fill him with the idea that he has been
misused; they entertain him with
stories of criminal experiences, teach
him to gamble, if he does not know
how, and fill his mind with the vilest
thoughts. They concoct plans for fu-
ture depredations; and after his dis
charge from the Jail, having, perhaps,
been found innocent, they claim ac-
quaintance or levy blackmail. Little
boys are initiated into ways Of indie
scribable vileness and their minds are
poisoned for all future time.
If any man denies that this is cor.
rect picture of large proportion OF
the county jails it is because of his
lack of observation. The remedy fol
these evils is undoubtedly classified
tion. Put the young boys by them
selves; the young and inexperienced
men by themselves; the hardened Grim
inals by themselves; the insane pris
oners by themselves, etc. The diff
Guilty is to determine the principle O.
classification which can be infallibl.
applied by the average jail officer. How
are we to ascertain off-hand which O.
these suspects is an old and experienced
criminal, and which has had no ex
perience in crime. Physiognomy oftel
fails us, and young men who appea
7 smooth and innocent are often adept
I in vice: while those who appear rOug
{ and hardened may prove themselve
l honest fellows. There is only one prin
ciple which is infallible, and that is t
i make as many classes as you have pris
r oners. Keep each prisoner by himsel
9 during the entire time of his detentio
+ in a county Jail. Separate detentio
q on this plan is very different thin
from solitary confinement as punish
It ment. The prisoner has unrestricte
n diet; he meets the jailer and converse
# with him several times day. He
e at liberty to receive the visits of h
n friends if they are suitable person
l. He is allowed an abundance of goo
8. reading matter. He is allowed to e,
IL ercise (by himself) in the prisoner
d corridor. It is not denied that tn
1t method of detention is severe, but ar
~ confinement is severe, and it is ce
y tainly more humane to keep man
fe himself under the conditions above d
n, scribed than to force him to herd wi
n other prisoners under the conditions
ty the ordinary county Jail.
to This method of keeping county j
ae prisoners is no experiment. Itpreva
ne universally in the jails of Great Brita
ne and most other European countri'
Id 1t has been followed for many years
w the large jail at Boston and other il
portant American jails.
ne In visiting jails kept on the separa
he system 1 have been surprised to fl
ps that the prisoners themselves do
lst complain seriously of the separs
to system, when once they understa
at that it is the rule Of the Jail. In
lie Duluth Jail, county prisoners on
lis second story are kept on the separ;
ch plan while city prisoners on the II