Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-21
URGES BUILDING OF
STATE REFORMATORY
COMMONWEALTH CLUB GIVES
GREWSOME FACTS
California Prisons Crowded by Young
Men and Actually Serving Only
as Schools for Production
of Criminals

the Commonwealth club of Califor-
MIA, having it's headquarters in the
Merchants Exchange building, San
Francisco, has issued a circular regard
ing the establishment of a reformatory
in California, as follows:
According to the latest available
statistics, California has more prison
ers in her state prisons in proportion
to her population than any other state
or territory with but four exceptions
viz: Nevada, Wyoming, Florida AND
Arizona. The state prisons at Folsom
and San Quentin have less than 300
separate cells or rooms for prisoners,
and there were confined in these on
June 1, 1908, 2676 men.
Appropriations were made by the
legislature of 1905 for the construction
of additional cells at both prisons, but
the contemplated improvements Will
fall short of providing proper cell room
for the men now there.
"A majority of the prisoners are un-
der thirty and many are less than
tWenty-one years of age when sem
fenced. 1t is impossible to separate the
young men and first offenders from the
confirmed criminals, and under such
conditions reformative treatment is i'm
possible. AS a matter of fact, instead
of affording any opportunity for reror-
nation our state prisons are rather
criminal schools. Judges of the super
Tor courts have repeatedly expressed
their reluctance to commit young men
to these prisons, but they have no al
tentative, although 1t is recognized that
such commitment generally leads to a
life of crime.
Experience in other states has shown
that the great majority of those con-
yicted of crime can be permanently re-
formed by proper treatment In an IN
stitution adapted to that purpose. Sucn
an institution comes between the re-
form school for juveniles and the state
prisons for confirmed criminals, and
Is known as a reformatory. The most
advanced eastern states have such
irstitutions-among others Massacnu-
setts, New York, Ohio, Indiana ana
Minnesota. There the first offender re-
ceives the necessary training and IN
struction. Education of this KIND can
not he given in our state prisons.
"Society can best protect itself from
criminals by reforming them, and no
argument should be necessary to show
that a reformatory should Immediately
he established in California.
eff Is estimated that such appropria-
tion as will be needed for this purpose
during the next two years will increase
| the tax rate dDOuI SCitb ACA SeNSAA SssA
"The following resolution is sub
mitted for adoption by all conventions
that nominate candidates for the legis-
lature this year:
"Whereas, Our state prisons, con-
tanning 1900 prisoners, are SO badly
overcrowded as to make 1t Impossible
~ ann1v effecttve reformative treatment
or to separate first offenders and young
prisoners from older and confirmed
lie nd
"Whereas, Most of the prisoners
when sentenced are under the age OF
80, and many under the age OF u years,
and experience has shown that the
great majority of such prisoners can be
Permanently reformed by treatment min IN
q modern reformatory, such as those
established In the most progressive
eastern states.
"Resolved, That we pledge our NOM
tnees to the Legislature to make such
appropriations and enact such laws as
may be necessary to Immediately estap al,
fish in California modern reformatory
for first Offenders and others capable
of being reformed"