New-York tribune., 1896-02-04
NEW WORK FOR CONVICTS.
BILLS PREPARED BY THE STATE PRISON
COMMISSION.
PROVISION MADE FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF PRIs-
oNERs IN MAKING PUBLIC SUPPLIES AND

PROVISION MADE FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF PRis-
oNERs IN MAKING PUBLIC SUPPLIES AND
BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTING ROADS,
Albany. Feb S-Senator Wilcox. in the Senate
and Assemblyman Hobbie. in the Assembly, to-mor.
row afternoon VIII introduce five bills prepared by
the State Prison Commission. employing their
recommendations TO the Legislature. ana carrying
out the provision OF the revised Constitution reia'
tive 10 the prohibition of the sale of pr!son-made
goods.
The first bill provides for the employment OF con-
vcts after January / next when the constitutional
prohibition goes into effect. Ii directs that All HE"
terias and supplies for State institutions except III
cases where 1t Is impossible shall be manuiacturet
in the prisons reformatories and penitentaries OF
the State on October of each year these lisu-
tutions shall submit to the State Prison Comih'S
sim an estimate OF supplies for the ensuing year
The Commission is authorized to make rules ana
regulations to govern the production OF All supP"'s
by the penal Institutions. and board CONSISTING VI
the members OF the Commission. the state 'o'i'
troller and the State Superintendent OF PRISONS IS
created to fix the prices to be received lot such
articles which shall be as as possible TO the
current market prices. These institutions ''aS
make contracts TO furnish all manner OF supplies
10 counties cities and villages, or 10 is''u
,ions controlled by any OF these political divisions
Boards of Supervisors are empowered 10 employ
the prisoners confined in the pcniienaries over
which they have jurisdiction in such manner is
will not be inconsistent with the revised 'ohs'tu
ton. They may set them TO making suppnes io'
other county Institutions building county pu'i"''sS'
constructing roads, or may contract the'r 'aoo -
any town. city or village 10 be employer OH any
public work Under this bill "A city may employ
prisoners TO nave streets lay drains, construct wafer
systems and perform all other labor wh'h "is"'
be classed under the head of public WORKS
The second bill authorizes the employment Oh
prisoners confined in county jaiis IN o"''u's ""''
repairng highways In the county where 'he' i''
confined or on public works or In the INSTITUTIONS
.. IN. county or OF the towns. villages and cities
tberein The Board OF Supervisors Of each county
is authorized TO make the necessary ~X iaw into
and to provide means for carrying 'ho Ia" '
effect .,....,o,. =, tho State
from receiving United states and other prisoners
sentenced outside Of the state. 1t permits State
prisons and reformatories TO receive ni''eu ucbihs
all other penal institutions, including county penn
nhc brcc b,lls are attachments to the Penal
Code and designed TO carry INTO eliect r'. an
Commissjon thinks desirable under the conditions
created by the change which Will take pace IN the
nrison system after January next one bill pro,
viles that all male persons between sNtee" ~,
twentv-one years old. convicted of felony. shall
he sent 10 state prison IN all instances where the
Where the sentence Is less. the Court may commit
TO the county jail penltcn'iary. but such instl-
tutions must be In the county whore the sentence
is imposed. Under the present law such a con.
sentcncS nee is not greater than 6vc years.
The second OF the code amen niments PROVIDES that
any woman over sixteen years old convicted OF
felony shall. when the sentence imposed Is one
year or more DE sentenced 10 the stat" Prison Tor
Women. at Auburn. When The scnt"nc" Is less
than one year she shall De committed. II sentenced
In w-YOrk o. Wcstch"sier counties. 10 the lse-
formatory for Women In lieiforf. and = ~ other
counties Of the State. to the county jail or peni-
ientary In the county whore sentence is imposed.
or to the Eastern or the Western House Of Refuge
for Women Women may now Dee sentenced 20
county pcntcniiarics where the sentence IA not
greater than five years.
The third amendment prohibits tho sentencing ~
n prisoner to pcnitsutary which is not situated IN
the county whore the sentence Is Imposed.