The Jersey City news., 1902-01-13
REFORMA TORY.
First Years Workings Of the
New State Ii stitution
at Railway.
SLOW GROWTH OF INMATES
Young Offenders Who May
Be Made Good Citizens
Committed Parole
System.


The Commissioners of the Isaaway Re
! formatory have just sent their report to
Governor Voorhees,. Since within the
year Just closed the institution Las been
opened for the first time for the receL-
Eion Of prisoners under the indeterninate
sentence sysleai, q great deal of interest
has been displayed Throughout the State
on how the system has succeeded
In the report the details Of the work
are fully set out and at the close of the
statement the Commissioners state what
is neeoed to bring the Reforrnatory to a
really efficient state 1t began by stat
ing that the commission met for organi-
zation in May. 1891, with the following
ent:-Gfovernor Foster NJ Voorhees,,
George A. Squire, Patrick Farrelly,
charlton 7. Lewis. Percy r. Pyne, Ben.
Ja11lirs Edge, Richard H Wilson, George
w Fcrtmeyer, Thomas NJ. Gcpsill. Com
missioner George A. Squire was elected
president and Commissioner Thomas NJ
Gopsill was elected secretary. AT the
same meeting Mr. James f. Heg was Sc
lccted as superintendent On the 5th of
August, 1901. the Reformatory was OPEN
ed to receive men committed to it. and
on August 6 three inmates were taken in.
lie report goes on
The decision of the Commission that
no prisoners should be transferred from
the State Prison at Trenton, or from
other penitentiaries. until after it could
be seen what the courts would do, was
especially gratifying. The experience of
every reformatory where prisoners have
been brought in considerable numbers
from the prisons, has proved very un-
satisfactory. Some of the men We're old
in crime, though young in years, and all
had been more or less contaminated by
their experience in prison. They had
learned how to give the officers vast
lot of trouble and. in general, to de-
moralize discipline from every stand
point The results so far as effecting.
reformation is concerned. was ais doubt
ful. In fact statistics go TO prove thas
fully seventy-five per cent. of men serv-5
ing time in prison are almost certain to
be returned to some prison again
The Law, moreover, provides that the
prison authorities shall select the men
to be transferred, wnen instructed 10 30
50 by the Governor
Though the courts did not convene in
regular sessions until some time after the
Reformatory opened, yet thirty-six young
men were sent to the institution prior to
November /. This is fully as many ~
was expected, and il is now plain that the
Courts are in harmony with the Referma-
tory idea particularly when its scope and
workings are fully comprehended. The
Judiciary find a happy solution of the per-
picking question whether to send a first
offender to jail for a long term, or to
prison for a shortterm and they eagerly
share the responsibility of protecting
society against criminals with the Off
Gals of the Refermatory, who have far
greater opportunity to learn when
criminal is ready to take a place in
society as a citizen, than has any judge
in hhe brief time that a criminal is before
him on trial.
But, however, it may be with the
Judiciary. many people do not understand
the objects and designs of the Reforma-
tory. The principle on which this Institu-
ton is organized is by no means a new
one 1t has been in successful operation
in New York at Elmira, since 1876: at
Concord in Massachusetts,, since 1884 and
in many other States for shorter periods.
The principle denies the correctness of
the old idea that so much punishment
The civilized world no longer believes in
that idea The new theory, and practice.
has enacted into law a better purpose as
the object of criminal treatment.
Society is to be protected froms the
criminal first of all. but this protection
is to be through the reformation of the
criminal rather than through his near
ceration as a punishment Through these
new methods. the wrong-doer is returned
to society when there is a strong or rea-
sonable probability that it is safe to do
so. without regard TO punishment,
whether little or much, and without re-
gard to the particular crime for which
he may have been imprisoned. When
ever any prisoner will i've a liberty, with
out prejudice to the welfare of his fellow
men, then he is entitled to liberty. and,
what is just as important, not till then.
1.-The Reformatory, therefore. has been
established for the purpose of reforming
those who have heen improperly formed
as to habits and character. or neglected
physically, Intellectually or morally. It
must begin where the parent, the church
and society have failed It's design, in
brief, IS to give every one within il :
chance. by good conduct and his own
efforts. to rehabiitate himself; to give
proper schooling. to teach industrious and
honest habits; and by all possible means
to advance his material, mental and moral
interests.
when he comes to the Reformatory.
the young man convicted for the first
time of criminal offense. is considered
in his Individual capacity; hie past life,
his heredsty, his environments, his mental
ability. are all closely investigated as
wen as the causes of his downfall the
temptations and steps that brought him
into the custody of the law. The Re-
formatory is supposed to be for first
offenders iii crime. between the ages Of
sixteen and thirty years Rarely, how
ever. do vi find case where the cr me
for which man is sentenced is a first
crime, though It may be his first convic-
tion.
Upon his reception at the Institution
the prisoner is first bather. shaved and
clothed IN new garments throughout. Ills
halr is cut closely 70 prevent the possi-
|sbnity Of yeTmili getting into the inslitli-
|slion, but thereafter 1t Is trimmed the
Same ss III the world outside. fi1s usai-
form Is cadet blue. cut III military styIut
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