The Opelousas courier., 1897-02-20
DOPING STRIPES.
An Interesting Experiment in
Prison Reform.
Good Conduct Earns Exemntton
From the Convict Garb.

inos' original experiment IL
prison reform which has yet been tried
has some time since been put into
eject at Ohlo's penitentiary at Colun-
bus. A striking, almost startling
change i'll the conventional prison
stripes of the convict has been made.
This, the first announcement of this
important departure, will doubtless ex-
cite wide attention and comment.
1t is, in brief, regulating the cloth
ing of the convict by his conduct.
Under the system uow in g in all
prisons, every convict wears the same
uniform. The prisoner whose in
stlncts are vile, whose ideas are thor
ougbly STEPPED in crime is the same,
III the appearance that clothing gives,
as the man whose instincts are of
high grade, but who, through weak
ness, has violated the laws.
Penologists have long held that the
intelligent convict could be more thor
oughly reformed by mental processes,
or methods akin thereto, than by the
physical penalties that prison rules
have caused all offenders to suffer.
This is exactly the idea from which
Warden L. G. Coffin Of the Ohio peni-
Tertiary, conceived his plan of help
ing tine prisoners to reform by grading
their clothing. There are to be three
grades, n hardly different from the
ordinary suit of the civilian, while the
other two bear in greater degree the
mark of the prison.
The first grade of clothing is Of
gray Goth, with nothing to indicate
that it is anything else than o citizens
suit. The second grade will consist
of gray and white checked goods, aud
the third grade will be that Of the
present regular stripes, as now worn
by all.
A prisoner upon entering the prison
will be placed in the second grade, and
after the expiration of six months.
without being reported for any infrac-
ton of the rules, will be entitled to be
placed in the first grade. Every
prisoner OF the Ohio Peniten-
tiary who is not reported for
the violation OF a prison rule
until January 1 will be permitted to
wear the first grade uniform as soon
as it is possible to procure it. The
prisoner who during the time men
toned is reported for one iufractioI
of the rules, will be eligible to the first
grade in ten days thereafter. The
prisoner who has two reports against
him January l will not be eligible to
the first grade for twenty days. II a
prisoner has three or more reports
against him he will not be placed in
the first grade until three continuous
months have passed without an unfa-
vorable report regarding him.
Warden Coffin, in talking to the
writer, said:-''I am fully satisfied
that all good citizens will heartily
approve the step L have taken, do
not believe that it is right and just
that a man who has 50 conducted him.
self as to maintain an unblemished
reputation for years should be classed,
clothed anu marched with one who is
daily committing infractipns against
the rules Of the prison. 1t holds out
no inducement to the worthy prisoner
to continue his efforts in we'll doing.
There should be some mark OF dis
tinction to separate the good from the
bad. It seems to me the graded uni
form is the best method Of accomp-
lis hing this purpose"
The Ohio Penitentiary has long
been known by the fact that the in
es thereof are treated with more
humanity than in almost any other
State prison. The policy that has
actuated the authorities has been that
men are much more inclined to re-
nouncee evil life and to become good
citizens if the attitude of the otfcia Is
them is that which human be-
ings might naturally expect. New
York Herald.