The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-06-04
PRISON REFORM.

ent Nj whoduring the year ! fQ4 abol-
ished prisons for boys and youths
The system Of separate cells for night
occupations, and silent associate Ia
Dor by day, originated in this country
Heretofore men, women and children i
Ill occupied the same cell, or room,
both night and day An effort was
now made to separate them for var
ious reasons. ii young boys should /
hear bandits tell of their experiences, /
they might become DESTROYS Of motto |
riety, and perhaps try to duplicate the
crime inacted by their older criminal /
associates.
Other men who are authorities on
the subject consider it better to give |
labor sentences than time periods,
and that ii the prisoner works con
scientiously, and behaves himself,
he should be released at an earlier
date
Each prisoner Is given a certain
number of credits per day, provided
he is given labor sentence, II
example-taISe twelve credits as 4
unit to represent days work II
he required amount of work Is done
the prisoner Is given twelve credits,
and If only one.half of The work IS
done. the prisoner receives SIX
credits. and other credits in proper
ton. Provided his work is kept up,
he knows that he will get his freedom
at an earlier date. During the day ne
can work in the shops with his fellow
convicts, but at night he must so to
| his private cell. and if he SO desires,
he can read or write until given
hour Nearly all prisons of modern
times have collection of books, and
some prisons have travelling libraries.
The ideal towards which our pris-
ms are gradually making approaches,
was originated by an English Captain
Alex. Moe0nchis. a successor OF How
ard. He asked to be given charge OF
one of England's prisons, and was
granted control OF an important IS
land prison.
Mocenchs began the work OF re-
form by dividing the convcts into
three classes. The first were to
work for a certain time on small
allowance Of food, and were allowed
no social privileges. The second
we're allowed social advantages and
permitted to speak to each other
While al work. In the third class the
men were to be organized into COM
oanies Of six. ana allowed to live In
ants, have gardens and raise stock.
Each man was paid small sum FOR
IFS work. and these six men were
granted money box in which they
boarded their hard earned wealth
Every time a prisoner committed
a crime or felony he was fined, and
this fine came from the convict i
mouev.box This caused the men TO
Iool ONT for each others welfare, and
gradually the convicts became good
citizens there in prison The mon
who had h0ts and small farms were
allowed to sell the products TO the Of
icars in charge OF the prison, an
whenever ship landed they solo
their products to the men on th'
ships.
Nearly all countries have nationa
prison. The United States Is perhaps
the only exception, and In this conn
trv each state has one or more prisons
according 10 its size. In nearly ~
cry state the prisons are greatl!
fver.crowded. SO the United States Il
in great need of a national prison
Our federal prisons are two in mum
her. ana being only for soldiers, an'
those outlaws of the territories
where the prison accommodations ar
not ample for a long sentence
Convict labor is known In all state
but not practlced in all OF them. Il
, the state Of Colorado, parole Is gram
J edto prisoners. who by good hehaYia
+ are allowed the rights OF free citl
Gems. There is but one restriction
they are not allowed to leave tn
I state. and must report once eacl
. year To the prison warden.
In Missouri, prisoners are parole
, under condition that they must no
c leave the state. In Mississippi cor
Wet labor is allowed, The men receiv
r so much per day; they receive III
g money they earn on the day OF thei
! release This money serves to star
!, the men out in the world afresh'
}, What is most needed In the Unite
{ States Is the throwing aside OF a
. political influences" As long as tn
q nrison management is kept free froi
political influences and trusts, COZ
" yict labor will flourish, but as soon q
/ the control of the prison Is gained ,
h. trustees. the fall of convict labor
N certain.
h The most essential element In mo-
q ern prison reform Is the preventing
tc syndcates from obtaining control
10 the prison authorities. II politician
If were deprived Of this power. at lea
seventy per cent Of the existing pr
on evils would be reformed
RAY G. ABEiL, o
u SHE WANTED TIC KNOW.
n Then When She Found Out a
M Ahnmt II Sc Was Unhappy.