The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-27
THESTATE REfORMAT0RY
CHANGES WROUGHT BY FIVE YEARS
OF CONSCIENTIOUS WORK.
An Unconditional and BadIy-Man-
aged Prison Converted Into One of
the Best I'm the Country.

IL some people had visited the Prison
South during the sumner Of 1925 and the Re-
formatory in Jacksonville as it stands to-
day, they would have pronounced the
change an evolution. In reality. the change
is creation rather than an evolution.
since there was nothing out OF which to
evolve the present model institution.
Those who visited the Prison South sn the
summer or autumn of 1895 saw the worst
prison in any of the older States except the
Prison North. In some respects the Mich
igan City institution excelled in the to-
talty of unfitness. The writer inspected
the Jeffersonville prison in September, 1895
Warden Hunt was removing from the
prison Enclosure the mounds of coal ashes
which his predecessor had permitted to be
dumped inside instead of having them
hauled outside. Worn out and cast out
machinery and other refuse was scattered
about the inclosed yards. There was not
a fairly good building connected with the
institution. The cell-houses were antquat-
ed The cells were small. without ventila-
ton and the stencil which filled them even
in the daytime was nauSeating. The heat
Ing apparatus was so worn that stream ms Of
water ran across the broken floors from
leaks in the pipes which could not be
mended. In the kitchens were old and de-
fective furnishings. The prison was so
crowded that in most of the cells two
men were Quartered, while the corridors IL
the spaces about the cells could be given
such a name were filled with cots. The ap-
preparations for the year had been so far
anticipated under the lax system Of keep
ing accounts then in vogue that there was
little money for repairs. and only money
enough left OF the appropriations for main
tenance for one-half Of the balance of the
fiscal year. There were several fair work
shops. but favored contractors were far
behind in their payments. Every prisoner
wore the regulation stripes and the lock-
step was perfect.
CHANGES FOR THE BETTER
The Republican Legislature of 1897 re-
modelled the penal system Of the State by
making the prison at Jacksonville a re-
formatory for convicts under thirty years
of age, and the Prison North became the
State prison for the older and worst Of
tenders. To change the dilapadated prison
into. reformatory was a great undertake
ing. but In four years the work has been
accomplished. All of the buildings have
been remodeled and one of the best cell
houses In the country constructed. The
cells are large, with modern sanitary
plumbing; a modern system of ventilation
and heating has been introduced, and
there Is no reminder Of the odors of old
cell houses. The facilities for bathing are
ample; and decency and cleanliness are
possible. The cell houses which have not
been torn down have been remodeled The
dining room is light and comfortably fitted
The apparatus in the kitchens insures we'll
cooked food; the hospital Is as comforta-
bic as In any private institutions; the as
lied and a night school is maintained for
those who need instruction. Reform rather
than punishment is the central idea under
the new regime. The indeterminate SEN
tence, under which prisoners conduct
practically determines his stay in the in
stitution has revolutionized the methods of
discipline. The regulation stripes are worn
only by the men who continually violate
the prison rules. For the rest, one would
never know IL he should meet them outside
that they are prisoners. The lock-step is
Every mans record as prisoner is
known, for strict account is kept. The
result of this new method of discipline is
that three-fourths of the prisoners try to
make such a record as will warrant their
parole when they shall have completed the
minimum sentence under the present law.
pay received for his services, and what
ever he earns extra The purpose is to
teach men something which will be useful
to them when they get out of prison; As
every prisoner when he Is paroled- Flogging
which was about the only thing thoroughly
done under the old regime, is rarely re-
sorted to now. The parole is a much more
powerful incentive to good conduct than
the fear of the lash or the dark hole
THE OFFICIAL FORCE.
A great change for the better has taken
place in the official force. Formerly many
men held subordinate places because they
had pulls and could half defy the
warden. Now every man holds his posi-
ton because he has proved his efficiency.
Every man is expected to do his best, and
he does 1t or Is discharged The result of
this system is hrst-class efficiency all
along the line: The bipartisan board of
control with the selection of able and ex-
perienced men Of affairs, has brought
business methods to the entire manage
ment.
In the Unconditional and badly.man-
aged State prison. most of the old and
now discarded penal methods were in
vogue. There have. almost by magic been
supervised by the reformatory, with
humane and reforming methods and a
practically new plant. constituting one of
the most complete and best managed in
situations in the country. What has it
cost? A considerable sum of money but
every dollar has been paid without in
creasing the State debt and without ad-
ditional levy. 1t is an achievement to be
proud Of, and 1t is, moreover, an achieve
| ment OF the Republican party