Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-27
PRAISES OUR PENITENTIARY
What Mr.. Griffith, of Maryland. Has
to Say Of 1t and the Reformatory.

to Say of 1t and the Reformatory.
Mr.. GoldsDorough S. Griffith, president
Of the Maryland Prisoners Aid Associa-
ton and the Society for the Protection OF
Children from Cruelty and immortality
recently made tour Of the South. In
vestigatng prisons and other institutions
of the several States. In a pamphlet pub
lished entitled THE Prison Systems OF
the South" Mr.. Griffith speaks Of the
Virginia penitentiary as follows
1.-THE penitentlary at Richmond, Va, is
we'll managed by superintendent Il. w.
Lynn. The report for September 90 1882
shows there were 1913 prisoners. inclnd-
ing ninety-six women and 22S children,
whose ages were under 20 years. Prison
ers are sentenced to this prison for terms
ranging from one year to life, and are
worked within the walls at mechanical
trades. The work Of the prisoners netted
the State above all expenses over 81, 900
for the year. In connection with this
prison is Il farm, where those too young
or Unable to work in the shops are sent
This is found TO be a great advantage
supporting nearly 200 convicts. The cost
Of supporting, guarding, clothing. &C.
each prisoner is about $5iA per annum.
The income is not affected by any fiuctua-
convicts is contracted for at certain
fixed sum. There are 100 cells. The larger
ones are occupied by from twenty TO
thirty prisoners, but the prison popula-
ton is increasing and more cell-room is
necessary The report shows that there
were 1874 OF these convicts who were serV-
ing second and third terms: eight serving
life-sentences. There were twenty-eight
deaths during the year. The prisoners
earned by overwork SlO,@422 Accom-
panied by Superintendent Lynn, l called
on the Governor Of Virginia. and we
urged the positive necessity Of n new
cell-buiding, and suggested legislation
concerning the care Of juvenile deln-
quents. and he heartily concurred in our
views"
THE LAUREL REFORMATORY.
Mr.. Griffith speaks as follows of the
Laurel Industrial School;
81 visited the Laurel Industrial School,
eight miles from Richmond, Va. in COM
pany with Captain Charles A. Crawford
and wife and was much pleased with
the institution, and its superintendent.
Mr. SAMPSON This school is conducted
under the auspices Of the Virginia Prison
Association, and receives boys who would
otherwise be sent to prison and form as
sociations that would probably ruin them
for life. The management have just
completed n new building, l0lXiG feet two
stories. and n basement which will
soon be occupied The Virginia Prison
Association secured the passage of an
act by the Legislature permitting the
transfer Of minors TO the custody Of the
association. and providing for jail-fees;
and September 1, 1890, established a re-
formatorv with one boy. The 1J5 boys
now IN the institution have regular school
hours. work hours, and recreation time.
The association intends 10 have a school
If trades instead Of using the labor of
the BOYS as q supplementary means OF
support. which has, so far, been neces-
sarv. Since the foundation OF the school
repOrts from boys returned 10 their homes
show that from s. to 30 per cent are
living orderly lives. The boys work at
the following trades: Forty-dye at coll
lar-maxing; 8. shoemaking; g. tailoring;
2S outforces; ., painting; and 80 too small
TO work.
Il visited the county jail. located at
Danvllle. Va. and found il crowded with
prisoners. The building, which is sup
rIied with steel cells, IS inferior although
there was a separate department for
females. The jail was not IN a very
good sanitary condition. want OF atten-
tion being evident. The prisoners are
not properly classlhed. ana, as cOnse-
ouence. where classification IS absent. we
find a nursery Of crime
Concluding his work. Mr.. Griffith says:
"The best prison j saw IN the South
was where the long-term and life prison.
ers were employed at instructive and
profitable mechanical trades. within the
noritentiarv. and the shOrt-term and
nhvslcally weak inmates worked on the
farm. being under the management Of the
one Official by this arrangement the
health OF the prisoners is assured and
their labor utilized TO the best adyan-