The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-11-29
"A WOMAN'S
REFORMATORY
Women Sent to Jail for Minor
Offences. Learn Worse
Evils While There.
WHAT MRS. BLACKWELL SAYS.


n order Ia Qef; an idea Of the he
ooseitv of i woman,s rcformatory in
oeeS'1t = 81 Z
TINS state, mIs. n'i'lha \ D'aoe ". we'''. :
1 who is member Of the commission
annf,,nted ~ Governor Murphy to In
rs. ,.,a4toY saus tha folz
Neouiea1c Vii0 ''a'sS'' ~ ~
flowing -
Nh Anril 1903 q commission was ap-.
nointad hv Governor Murphy. consist
/ mo mo- of three men and two women to
aTanajan ava intafhe facilities. and accom-
conandations Como Ia this State for the care
of wnn1an Offenders and the methods
aro,,,nvad. also to look into t h &
methods emnloyed and the pr0piS-
| inns n1adp III other States. and t9
ros,ort ram, Fl ffae Legislature upon til
advisahiIitv ar necessitv Of establish
no vomar's reformatorv in New
Jarsev THE report Of this commits
sim was made tfl the Legislature near
/ tha close If the next session after its
i aMnnointmenf. ann During the wear the
fvn nenitenfiaries. the State Prision
ana f,he larger tails were visited. and
written renorts Ii d d been received
from All other tails in response to
i;et' ~ nnestions sent.
Z n afher States visits were made
1 n the Woman's Reformatory at Sher-
bnrn Mass ana All Bedford. M, ". /:
the state Home for Girls at Lancaster,
/ Mass. and the Mercer Reformat0ry
/ for Women il Toronto. Capada. The
comnission learned that more than q
fhousand women are confined each
year for longer or shorter terms in
i New 'Iersev and that great improves
ment, II f'ha methods az their care
mioht he made by adopting the best
.nf Those III alse in other States.
ain our nrisions and jails there is no
Classification of offenders. Young and
4 old those Sentenced for a first offense
i and those who have served repeated
terms have opportuniuy for conyersa-
i tion which becomes a training in vice
Ia less DEGRADED. There is no proper
con nvenia,7ce FAR senaration. Cells are
side hv Side. with grated door. or the
nrisoners snand hours together in the
corridors where exercise IS taken.
ssWonen are confined In the same
buildings with men. and the atten-
ldanfs are LARGELY men. In the State
nrisnn At Trenton the Snake Hill
4 penifenfiarvs the Caldwell Peniten-
Hilary and several of the larger prisons
Il fhera Is natron Int, in most cases
i this ID fine wardep,s wife. who COM
4 hines the care ~ her own family with
i such oversight Of the women prisoners
as She NAV he able and willing to give.
tsThere IL ~ attempt at training.
! lintellecfllal or moral. apart from the
i Sunday service and occasional visits
4 from REPRESENTATIVES Of w. C. r. u. or
other philanthropico or religious bodies
| The reform of the prisoner is not at
j all in the waruen's mind as an object
sThe women here are lust serving
I time. was said by one in one Of the
i larger institutions.
sVrbere is great need of regular Oc-
/ cupation. Only about one-third of
i the iails supply any work beyond keep
i ing the cells clean, and even this may
4 not always be insisted upon. In the
4 two penitentiarieS and he State
prison sewing is given to be done, and
an effort made to do away with the
ldemoralizing effect Of idlenesS, but
i there IS no systematic training to en-
j able the women when released to be-
come self supporting as is the case at
i Bedford and at Sherburn. There are
j no facilities for such training BY
our present system about so per cent,
of the prisoners become habitual Of
tenders. returning repeatedly to jail.
"The commission believes that the
cottage system in use at Bedford, N.
i Y.. is better The new arrival passes
a period Of probation, varying from a
| few days to month, in the reception
house. From this they 20 into what
/ IL called the first division. which has
its own dining, reception and work
room entirely apart from the second
lcivision. which is composed of the
worst girls. Promotion is made from
4 the first division to the cottages, and
/ from the cottages to parole. About
l fifty were On parole at the time of the
| visit of the commission. The inmates
lof the cottages highest in rank re-
ceive valued privileges and certain
amount of liberty. Both at Bedford
and Sherburn. work is found for the
women upon their release. This is
lnot difficuit. for they have had train
ling ia Inherent household occupations
land in the habit of industry, and
Emany people are willing to run the
risk OF any misconduct.
/ nThe authorities report that the re-
\ turn Of a woman who has once served
| a sentence with them is rare. This is
! IN marked contrast with the habitual
Ioffenders. who form half OF the i'm
mates of our State penal institutions.
nThe New Jersey Commission in its
\ renogt earnestly recommends to the
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