New-York tribune., 1899-01-05
REPORT ON PRISON SYSTEM.
COMMISSION COMMENDs IN GENERAL
THE EXISTING STATE OF AFFAIRS.
KINGS COUNTY. NEw-YoRK AND ADJOINING
COUNTIES TECATEp-REcoMMENp

COUNTIES rECATEp-REcoMMENrA
rroNs MADE.
Albany. Jan THE State Prison Commissi ~
has this to say oi the prisons In Kings, Naw-York
and adjoining counties:
Commission Lispenard Stewart visited the Kings
County Penitentiary June Is. 1895 and begs 10
report follows
the institution ir m,st thorough manner. At IN"
time OF this inspection there were but Sol inmates
hundred less than at the same time last year. %,
these 81 prisoners. but 19 were women. There !s
10 the borourhs of BROOKLYN and queens The si;e
and the prison sef was az found S 10 be
good There were 81 United Staten prisoners serv.
ing .tme 80 men and ? women. and OF the total
over and 22s under sentence OF less than year
The New-York County Penentiary was visited
May %. After an interview with the Warden.
conducted through the building BY the Depu,y
Warden: I could not go to the workships. which
Since the last report the new wing has advanced
fall. The ventilation OF the new part l. the same
as used in the new part of the Monroe County ,ty
Pententary The appropriation for cells carried ieS
s99ngh with TO enlarge ne dining ~n,sn sn
standing the outside waiting for others 70
complete their meal and those on the inside % . wese
was a good quality Of mutton stew.
There were only two persons In the hospital oo,o
The number OF inmates on day OF inspection was
ao3. 43 OF these women
VISIT TO THE TOMBs
Commissioner Lispenard Stewart visited the CITY
Prison OF New-York. better known the Tombs.
July 3 1895 and begs to report as follows:
The new Warden. Mr. Hagan. showed your COM
missioner over the institution. At the time OF the
inspection there were Sl7 inmates mostly awai,ns hnns
and your Commissioners is glad to report that 10
girls were in the prison As the cell capac'y OF & tne
OF the so-called doubling up. The cells are In a
ceany condition. and most Of them have recent; receenu;|
been whitewashed. The ventilation was exceHen,,;;
and the prison seems in all It's details TO be wei
managed. ~
much headway has been made in the construction
Of the new prison building @ Only one s s9Ty @ of year ar
Will eiapse before the warden will get possession OF
The Queens County Jail Is located on Jackson.
ave: Long Island City and is IN the rear OF shs the
structure. modern. and in every way secure and
healthy. The male department. is separated from
by What S is known Ss' as 5Tige but in reality is
@ % up to the n s ,s male
twenty-eght cells each tier. lio in all Each tier
can be locked or unlocked by lever i desired red
peraie prisoners. and those awaiting trial The
DAYS DAYS to six months - Each cell is lifted with
closet. basin and two berths. well ventilated and
bath, thus allowing the prisoners to keep clean.
The drainage is excellent. and the entire building
The Jail itself Is so constructed that It has no con-
nection whatever with the outside wall. leaving a
Keepers to make their tours with little difRculty. In
this apartment about l5S prisoners are confined
two OF this number were sentenced on com
plants OF being drunk and disordery; twentythree
for assault and sixteen for vagrancy.
PLANS OF THE BUILDING.
The administration building Is a finely constructed
building OF six floors. heated by steam. lighted by
gas and electricity and Hreproo'. The three lower
floors occupied by officers and the upper floors
are for females. juvenile and civil prisoners First
floor. Warden's Office and receiving department
second floor matron and Sherir's private apart
mens; third floor. hospital and civil prisoners. and
fourth fifth and sixth floors, for female and tuve
nile prisoners.
Each floor Of female department IS separated by
Each cell is fitted with closet, basin and two
confined IN this department sixteen females.
The prisoners confined here have employment
The sanitary Condition is exceent The sewer 'iD has
sssp @ and 70 H IN nns s SSndDn We
iaria. ''''' '''"'''' ''"7' '"'' ma
GRADING SYSTEM ASKED FOR.
The Commission recommends retormatcry treat
and classification and grading IN all penal in
stitutions from jails UP. II has shown great re-
suits in Elmira. where men BY their own efforts
in improvement shorten their terms Of maintenance
by the State for many years and then go out into
the world better prepared to live honest and
spectacle lives They become teachers for each
other. skilled in the labor required by the nstitu-
ton. and lessen the cost Of their maintenance
while they remain For this reason the salary and
wage list at Emira with its fifteen hundred IN
mates. s many thousand dollars less than at Sing
Sing with thirteen hundred convicts. or Auburn
less Similar economic results may be accom-
plished In other penal Institutions. The average
term OF confinement and maintenance at Emira Is
less than two years, while IN the State prisons Il
is five years. not including life prisoners
The Commission asks that the law remain
changed and that It's powers TO acquire more infor-
carry out its recommendations for Improvement in
tails and pententiares and all penal institutions.
Power IN the hands Of a body OF eight Is safer
than in the hands Of less number.
FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
The report recommends amendment to Section
SOS Of the Penal Code requiring all female felons
70 he sent the prison for at Auburn.
which Is better than the penitentares and calls
attention Of Judges to the matter.
II also recommends amendment 70 Section SO
OF felones being to penit-ntiares thus break
ing down the classification between felons and mis-
demeanants. and requiring such 10 pc sent ~ the
reformatory State prisons
II recommends that the laws In regard 10 the
House of Refuge for Women be amended so as TO
require all women under forty years OF age con-
vcted OF misdemeanors to be sent TO. them. and
prohibiting their being sent TO penitentiaries.
II recommends the repeal OF all laws OF special
acts permitting the sentencing OF convicts for one
year or more to penitentiaries The number in the
penit tiarles October 1895 was 2s2i or i35 less
than in 1896 and 9o3 les, than In 1891 The number
In the reformatory and State prisons October /,
1888 was 47ei. or four less than In 1897.
H
ARfrWENTs FOR ". 4. f. uoORE'S RETRT4L