Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-19
CRIME DISEASE
NEEDS TREATMENT
CHARITIES DELEGATES HEAR
BROAD VIEWS
While Millions Are Being Spent on
Men and Methods, Root Of Evil ls
Neglected, Declare Lead
ina Speakers

TO my mind there is no sadder COM
Nmentary on our so-called Christian
civilization than the fact that while
millions are being spent upon men ana
methods for the treatment of physical
disease and the erection of buildings
adapted to the work, practically Moth
ing is being done from scientific
standpoint toward the treatment of the
diseases of crime" said ID. r.. Myers,
former superintendent of the Minne-
sofa state reformatory, last evening at
the second session of the fourth state
conference of Charities and Corrections
in Simpson auditorium.
r. Symmes, president of the CONFER
ence, presided and made short opening
remarks. w. Almont Gates, secretary
of the state board of Charities and Cor
rections, followed with an able address
on 1.-The Prisoner and the State" He
said in part:
Separating Prisoners
"There should be the segregation and
proper classification of prisoners, For
this purpose two separate and distinct
prisons for adults are necessary, so
that there may be division into two
classes, which are to be treated so
differently that they cannot properly
be managed in the same institution. To
one of the prisons should be sent
those between sixteen and thirty years
of age who have never before been
convicted of felony. so the other
should be sent the older and more
hardened class, a class not altogether
hopeless but one whose influence over
the younger, If allowed to associate
together is bad. The first of these
prisons should be managed along edu-
cational lines. In the other the prison.
ers have passed the educational age
and should be made to labor at such
occupations as will contribute to their
support. Beyond this, much the same
treatment may be given to both
classes.
"There should be a separate cell for
each prisoner and never should more
than one prisoner occupy the same cell
at the same time.
From the time the prisoner leaves
his cell in the morning until he is
locked in at night he should have no
idle time on his hands.
1.-The prisoner should not be permit
ted to hold any general conversation
with other prisoners or to enter into
any association with them excep. those
of the workshop or class room.
Grades and Merits
There should be a system of grades
and merits In the modern reform
atory are three grades or classes, and
the prisoner on arrival enters the mid
die class and is dressed in blue-gray
suit From this class he can rise TO
the first or fall to the third, according
to his work and demeanor.
1.-The sentence should be indeterm-
inate-that Is, the judge sentencing the
criminal to prison should not fix any
limit to the time he shall remain there.
This officer usually measures off so
much imprisonment for so much crime,
and the prisoner is impressed with the
idea of retributive justice-paying the
penalty. A criminal should be sent to
the prison until cured, the same as an
insane man is sent to an insane hos
pital. Both are mental defects.
when the prisoner has reached that
state when he can be called cured he
should be placed out on parole in good
employment, and under the watchful
care of the prison agent. This is
merely trial and If found successful
after a proper time the prisoner may
receive his final discharge But no
prisoner can be paroled except from
the first grade and no prisoner dis
charged except from parole"
Public Sentiment
A paper on the same topic was writ
ten by Robert II. Devln, president of
the board of prison directors, which
was read by DR.. w. V. Coffin. Follow
ing is brief synopsis:
The object of Il prison should be
not only to detain and punish, but
also to create those habits of industry
and labor which will enable the convict
to become a law-abiding member of
society when he is released. A man
who all his lifetime has been in the
habit OF working feels enforced idle
ness as one of the most severe punish
ments. Son on the other hand a man
who has not been habituated to labor
feels labor to be a hardship To put
this thought into other words it might
be said that industry is a habit and
that idleness is a habit, and those who
are led into a life of crime by the
habit of idleness should acquire the
habit of labor. Further than this, many
who are brought to prison through
idleness have no skill in any particular
trade, and prison management
should endeavor to fit these men to
make a living by teaching them some
useful trade.
1.-The people of California are be-
ginning slowly to realize that the
management of prisons is a science
requiring skill. education and expert
ence. Unhappily, too often in the past,
and perhaps even at the present day,
offices in the prisons are looked upon
S political positions and men are ap-
pointed, not for their competency but
for other considerations. Hence it is
not to be wondered at that many fail
ures in prison management are made.
Many persons regard all prisoners
1EA