Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-16
A FARM FOR DRUNKARDS.

report, the body of which has been treated in these columns the commits SiOnerS of prisons summarize q series of pertinent recommendations. It Is pointed out that the average age of officers of the state prison and the re- formatory is AS years, and legislation establishing an age limit is recom- mended.
 The statutes provide that prisoners may be sentenced to the state prison who have been convicted before any court of the United States within the district of Massachusetts. In all other prisons throughout the state the law permits the imprisonment of United States prisoners without regard to the state in which the United States court is held. The commissioners suggest that the law be amended in such q manner as to make it uniform in it's application to all the prisons in the commonwealth, including the state prison.
 The commissioners regard as an in- advertence the legal requirement. that the list of prisoners transmitted to the Boston board of election commission CTS before state and city elections shall include the names of minors and wo- men, and suggest a perfecting amend ment rendering the law requiring such report applicable only to legal voters. They wish also that women may be sent to Sherborn under indeterminate instead of definite sentence, thus bring ing the system into uniformity with that of the reformatory. It has been demonstrated, the commissioners state. that the actual average time served under the indeterminate sentence does not differ greatly from the length of sentence for a definite time. the great advantage being the moral restraint which the supervision by the state au- thorities exert over the person set at liberty prior to the expiration of his sentence.
 In order that a more perfect system | may be established regarding the tick et-of-leave feature of penal admins l tration, it is recommended that the commissioners be given authority to | require of probation officers reports | concerning prisoners who have re- ceived permits of release prior to the | expiration of sentence, and whose | home is within the Jurisdiction of the officer.
 Referring to the treatment of com | mon drunkards, the commissioners | say:
 l "By reference to tabulated informa- ton. upon preceding pages of this re- | port concerning the character of sen- l tences imposed for drunkenness, it will | be observed that in compliance With l the statutes either q fine and costs or a sentence of from eight to thirty days | in prison is the penalty usually inn | posed. That the drunkard is any less q drunkard at the expiration of his sentence no one pretelds; on the con- trary. repetition of the same action | is generally anticipated. If the pur- pose of the law is to prevent a recur- renee of the offense. it's inadequacy must be apparent. Remembering that l the object to be secured is the preven- l ton of crime. there would seem to be but one rational course to pursue, viz,
 of intoxicating liquor to the extent in- dicated where it is no longer possible for him to procure it. \ l 'With such n course in view. 1t Is l recommended that the laws be so
 amended that, after given number of
 commitments for drunkenness. any
 person convicted of that offense be re-
 garded as a common drunkard. and | that he be committed for an indefinite
 period, with the distinct understanding
 that it is to be for very much longer i time than is now provided by law.
 The development of unproductive land
 by convicts is no new thought; its ap-
 plication in connection with this class
 of offenders is believed to be thorough
 1y practical. The legislature of 1898,
 in chapter 393, authorized the gov
 ernor and council to purchase or other
 wise take in fee any parcel of waste
 and unused land, not exceeding 1000
 acres in area; and the same act also
 provides that the governor may estab-
 fish on said land a temporary indus
 trial camp for prisoners. and that
 prisoners held at. said camp shall be semployed in reclaimingsAn imnToyins Island.' With the law relating M sea Etences amended in sucn5a 11ApHer m lSto provide for, holding the class of Of l.greAter length of time, 1t fs Believed } that the, provisions of the statutes .Euuoted above could be carried into 'ef