The San Francisco call., 1904-08-21
TALKS ABOUT
-.PENITENTIARIES
I hairman of the Legisla-
tive Committee on Prisons
discusses Needed Reforms
: -..7ESCRlBES CONDITIONS
Body Probably Will Recon-
mend Radical Changes in
Methods Prevailing Here
Special Dispatch 70 The Cali.


Los ANGELES. Aug. 30.-One Of the
most important questions which viii
be considered at the next session OF
The Legislature viii be that of prisons
ard prison reforms, and more atten-
tion VIII be given it than il has ever
received at the hands OF any previous
session Of California's lawmakers:
Radical changes viii probably be ad-
NIseo in the manner in which the af-
tairs OF the various penal institutions
OF the State are administered and an
effort will be made TO secure for Cali
fornia prisons a system Of government
which shall embrace all the best fea-
lures of the model prisons Of this
country and Europe.
There will be no need OF sending the
standing committees OF both houses to
the various institutions except TO in
spect their accounts. There viii be no
repetition Of the disclosures made dur
tng the session OF the last Legislature
in the Official reports. BY the time the
Legislature assemblies there will be
available for its members a mass Of in
formation. statistical and otherwise,
such as 10 committee could compile
during a siXty-d day session, and along
"fCh this information viii be recon-
naendatiOns for reforms of various
kinds. which viii have been submitted
10 and approved by the executive in ad-
EsnCe.
one OF the last resolutions passed by
the Assembly of 1903 was one suthoriZ-
ing the appointment or a hold-over
Committee on Prisons. That commit
Zee was charged With the duty OF re-
porting 10 the Assembly Of 1905, after
careful Investigation, What changes are
necessary IN the construction and ar
gangement Of buildings and in the sys-
iem Of managing the state prisons.
'The committee Was directed to include
sn its Investigations the system OF
heepiEs accounts. methods Of punish
merit, needed dietary Improvements,
the segregation Of prisoners and all
e.rher. matters pertaining to the prisons,
with q view 10 making them fully up
go the best standard of such institu-
tions'4n the United States.
o PRESCOTT Is CHAIRMAN.
of this committee 7. 4. Prescott OF
'san. F;erna-d was made chairman.
;hc other members being Assemblyman
-. Dunbar of Santa Rosa. The COM
.niittco MAS authorized TO employ a
sccrcs AIRY. visit penal institutions. and
sfhc- Superintendent of State Printing
vas directed 20 print such matter as
&he conmittee from time 10 time re-
au'red
I'rHs scott has just been renominated
for-the. Assembly N the Seventyt-sixth
mount to election. He is now at work
upon his final report as chairman OF
The committee. and. although the work
IF that body has not been completed.
ii. is now known along what general
lines prison reforms VIII be recon-
mended.
The committee organized imme-
diately. after the adjournment of the
Legislature. said Prescott to-day. u.
,. Carrere was appointed secretary and
directed 10 secure reports from all
prison authorities in the United States
and Europe. together with such special
publications as were Of recognized
value in the work Of improvement of
penal Institutions. The committee has
visited san quentin and Folsom and
the State Reform schools and at a
meeting 10 be called this month the
material at hand will be carefully gone
over and our commentators imme-
distsly prepared.
The reason which prompted me to
make the resolution by authority of
which this committee was appointed
was that ] saw that the regular Com
Snittees on Prison both in the Senate
and the Assembly came in so late in
the session that no definite scheme of
prison reform could be adopted. The
disclosures made by the committees
during the last session emphasized the
fact that radical changes in prison
methods are needed. but at the time We
could do nothing. There was not suf-
ficient time; other important legisla ton
demanded attention and the question is
manifesty too big "A one TO be hur-
.riedlv considered. 1t seemed that q
committee bringing i'm a definite plan
st the beginning Of the session, one
carefully framed under the advice and
approval IF the Governor. the Board
of Prison Directors. the State Board
If Charities and Corrections and
others might enable US to Sc
cure some real reform. rather
shan the mere publication Of scandal
GUS matter without any results other
thar that Of Darading to the world a
. condition of affairs which has rightly
been termed a disgrace 10 civilization
1T is the purpose Of this hold-over
committee 10 bring the matter before