The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-24
CARE OF STATE CONNECTS.
REPORT ON YEARS. WORK At STATE
PRISON.


Good Effects of the Graded System and
the Parole Law-Health of the Yn-
mates-Cost of Running the Institu-
ton and Receipts From Convict La
ty-Nativtty of the Prisoners and
3 Their Use of Alcohol and Tobacco.
The completion and occupation of the
special ward for insane convicts at the
state prison is the subject with which
the prison directors lead off their report
to the governor for the year ending
September 80, $685. This ward con-
tains thirty-two cells and is equipped
with workshop, Idle rooms, shower bath
and exercise grounds. On January / of
last year thirty-three insane convicts,
who had been confined at the Connectl-
cut Hospital for the Insane at Middle
town, We're transferred to Wethersfield,
and since that time all the insane con-
victs have been kept at the prison. The
many advantages of the change are
noted and commented upon.
During the year the daily average
population of the prison was five hum
dred and five, but for purposes of COM
parison the inmates of the insane ward
are deducted from this number. Since
1884 the daily average of population at
the prison has increased from 351 to 49,.
This rapid increase in the number Of
people sent to the prison has brought
about an overflow, even with the addi-
tions to the cell room that have been
made, for there are in county jails,
awaiting accommodation at the prison.
about thirty convicts. In view of these
facts the directors have decided to sub
NIT to the general assembly plans for
the present and anticipated needs of the
institution.
From the facts gathered from the re-
ports submitted by the warden and the
prison physician, the directors are able
to announce that the general health of
the prisoners was satisfactory during
the year. Ten deaths, which is equiva-
lent to 1913 per one thousand of popula-
tion, occurred, and most of these were
chronic cases. This gratifying condi-
ton, the directors believe, is due to the
systematic measures which have been
taken the past few years to improve
the sanitation of the institution. Pull
monary tuberculosis continues to be the
most persistent and deadly disease at
the prison, but various measures, some
of which are the isolation in special
ward Of the aggravated cases and the
concentration of incipient cases, are
taken to check the spread of the malady
Reference is made by the directors to
the defalcation and arrest of II. Kirk
Woodbridge, former clerk at the prison.
though his arrest occurred subsequent
to the date of the report.
Warden Woodbridge, in his report
commends the work of Chaplain Hall
and the Roman Catholic chaplain among
the prisoners. OF the prison library he
says:
.sThe prison library, highly priced and
utilized by the inmates, has been en-
larged from time to time, and at this
writing the number of Books is about
four thousand. The good judgment and
care shown by Chaplain Hall in the Sc
lection of appropriate reading matter
4ssa great help in the reformation of the
inmates. His close attention to three
weekly night schools shows steady inn
provement in results"
There will be general interest in what
the warden says as the the workings of
the graded system. His report is
quoted from as follows
''The method of grading prisoners
by your honorable. board during the
month of September, 1896, has been
continued during the present fiscal year
with beneficial effects upon the moral
character as well as the conduct of the
prisoners and aids materially in re-
ducing the punishments and in i'm
proving the discipline of the institu-
ton It's adoption has met the fullest
expectations. The only drawback is the
fact that the sixty-four cells erected
are not adequate to the demands. Men
who have met every requirement OF
the rules governing promotion to the |
first grade, are deprived of reward oW~
ing to the limited cell room. AS the |
benefits both to the prisoner and the
institution have been fully demon
strated, would respectfully recon-
mend that additional cell room for the |
use Of the first grade prisoners be pro-
Nided.
'.During the year only two have been |
reduced from the grade for violations
of rules, out of total of 40. This .
showing in itself is sufficient evidence
pf the efforts being made by those
once promoted to retain the position
rained. The reductions referred to were
caused by irritability of temper from
long confinement, afterward deeply re-
gretted. The first grade prisoners, as
whole, have conducted themselves in
an exemplary manner, and their con-
duct has been beneficial to the other
inmates in the highest degree. The So
called Wethersfield Pioneer and Debat-
ing and Literary society, instituted at
the outset of the grading SYSTEM has
held meetings every two weeks with
regularly elected officers, at which de-
bates and musical and other exercises
are enjoyed with benefit to all.
All of the four prisoners who have
been released on parole, under the act
passed by the legislature of 1897, are
reported to have lived up to all the re-
of the law and to have be-
come self-respecting, selfsupporting
and law-abiding citizens of the COM
m1nities where they reside. The COM
ments on the working of the law are
that the results of the experiments
tried show the benefits to the prisoner
nf the aid rendered and the restraining
Influences while under parole, thus en-
abling him to regain footing among
Low, oI,i5i,,o, naOple the sta re.