The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-02-09
PRISON REFORM.

General merit careful consideration,
the more especially as the matters re-
ferred to in the report coincide with
a plank in the platform of the Ameri-
can Union party.
Warden Low suggests an entirely
new system in dealing with the pris-
oners. The present system allows
two prisoners to a cell, and all classes
of prisoners are, as it were, congre-
gated together. There can be no sep
aration of prisoners into classes, as
there is in properly constructed mod
ern jails. ,,
The whole subject of jails and pris-
oners and their reform has a litera-
ture of it's own. From the time of
Howard, who devoted his life to the
amelioration of the prisoners lat and
died actually in harness, there has
been a steady advance. There have
been, during the process of progress,
fads and faddists, but they have been
cast aside, and the practical idea of
trying to raise the prisoner from his
degradation is steadily kept up. To
carry this out requires proper build
ings, specially constructed.
What Warden Low asks for is a
prison so constructed as to allow IA
distinct corridors and court yards and
inmates, building where prisoners
could occupy separate cells. having
distinct corridors and corut yards and
not one general court yard as at pres
emit This would enable the warden
to classify his prisoners. The badly
behaved and thoroughly depraved
could be separated from all commune
cation with those who have only Just
fallen, or whose offenses are compar-
atively venial
Next the warden wants a change In
the system of labor. He condemns
the system of working the prisoners
upon the streets of the city. He saws
that Notwithstanding the prisoners
are under prison discipline when at
work on the streets they are not away
from the past. Their old companions
see them and communicate with them
and they 'are often brought face
own particular crimes" he adds:
soften they work in front of their old
haunts and many times listen to the
revolving vulgarity and drunkenness
which first brought their downfall
1t is very clear that the warden is
right. If you are going to try and
reform your prisoners, you must GER
tainly keep them away from their for
mer surroundings. You must cut
them off from all chance of commune
cation with former evil companions,
and must give them fresh material for
their minds to dwell on. If they are
worked within the prison walls in
stead of upon the streets, they are at
once separated during their term of
imprisonment from all outside influ-
ences. If they are confined in separ-
ate cells they cannot communicate
with one another. In this way they
can be brought into condition where
they can be influenced for good.
The suggestion made is the follow
ing: Let the Honolulu prison, remod-
eled, be the penitentiary of the whole
Islands, and commit all prisoners
there whose term of sentence is one
year and over. The work of these
prisoners would be within the prison
walls. 1t would consist of weaving
fibers and the manufacture of cloths,
rope, cordage, burlaps and bagging.
This would give profitable employ
ment, for such articles would find a
ready market here.
The second part of the plan is the
establishment of a Reformatory farm
where short term prisoners could be
committed. This would be a self-sup-
porting institution and might even be
made a paying one. 1t would be OF
immense benefit to younger prisoners
and would educate them in the sue.
cessful cultivation of the soil. More,
over the Reformatory farm might
have its effect upon the prisoners in
the penitentiary, for by system OF
promotion prisoner in the peniten,
tiary might, by good conduct, pass
some of his time upon the farm.
Warden Low says that probably his
views may be regarded as visionary
and himself ian enthusiast" For the
latter he needs no apology. No man
succeeds unless he 81 enthusiastic
in his cause. AS for Visionary" The
Star does not regard the ideas as wis
ionary." They seem eminently prac-
teal. Mr.. Low brings an Indictment