The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-18
State Board of Charities Says
Penal Institutions Are Un-
fit Places for the Mentally
Afflicted.
REPORT TO GOVERNOR
HANLY JUST FILED.
The Condition of Indiana Jalls
Is Loudly Decried and 1t Is
Asserted the System Is a
Relic of OIden Times.

In it's report 10 Governor Hanly for
the year 1907, which has just been is
sued, the board Of state charities rec
ommends among many other things
the enactment of laws by the next leg /
islaturc making better provision Tor
the increasing number OF insane ana
paupers. The board sets forth that
another hospital for the insane is
needed badly Better provision. the
report says also. is needed for the
care of insane criminals i'll the prIS-
ons, more land is needed for the
Southern Hospital for the Insane and
more attendants are needed in the
hospitals and cottage tor children is
needed at the Indiana Village for Epi-
leptics. Concerning these things the
report says:
Indiana has assumed the respOn-
siblity of caring for all her insane
citizens, but she has not been true
10 the obligation assumed. That she
has done well, we all know; but she
has not come up to her full duty-that
is, that she shall make provision for
all those unfortunates needing care
and treatment We should be careful
not to make our insane hospitals too
large. The Central is twice as large
- sIr q 4 of hn oil
ers should not be increased, unless it
is by colonies. The colony plan for
caring for the insane, which contem-
plates the purchase OF u farm a little
distance removed from the insane hos
pital, yet near enough to be under its
supervision and care, offers a feasible
plan for providing additional room for
the insane.
Should Provide New Hospital.
The next legislature should take
steps looking to the establishment of
another hospital for the insane, in the
northern part of the state. In order
properly to treat the insane, the ctate
SHOULD be ready 10 receive them with
out delay. This it can not do until 1t
has provided in advance, bed for
each 500 of the population.
The small amount of land at the
Southern hospital for the insane rend-
crs it impossible for the patients to
get the benefit from outdoor life that
1ley might nave. 1t is essential that
an additional acreage be purchased
for the use of the Southern hospital.
This should be not less tnan 100 acres.
There are confined in both our
prisons for men, in the hospitals for
insane and at times in county jailS,
persons convicted of crime Who are in
sane. An insane person can receive
neither proper treatment nor right
care in a penal institution, For .heir
own good, the good OF the state, and
the best interests OF the institutions,
as we'll as matter of economy pro-
vision should be made for hospital
nearby and associated with one of the
existing institutions. for the proper
care and treatment of these unfortu-
mates.
While We have in the last ten or
fifteen years made important progress
in the question of dealing with minor
public wards, Yet at the same time
there are grave objections to the pres
ent scattered system of caring for de.
pendent children The board of child
ren's guardians law provides for way
ward and neglected children and the
counties which have erected homes
under this law can give proper care
10 this class, but one central institu
ton which will act as receiving
home Will deal more effecWauy with
the dependent children problem Than
the present orphans homes can posi-
bly, do.
Jail System Relic.
The jail system We have is relic
of the olden times. 1t is not credit
able to the state. The result OF its
operations is Injurious. Our jails az
they are conducted do more harm
than good In rational prison svs
tenn the jails should be simply place.
OF detention. Convicted prisoners
should be confined elsewhere. Provi
sion should be made by law for the
official condemnation of county Jail.
by some board,
Most of the prisoners who are con
victed and sentenced, to Jail are charg
Gu Win NlplatlItE tue state laws. II Is
hard to understand why the state
should not have charge of them. Ii
most of our iails the prisoners are no
separated. they are not classified. ant
they lead idle and frequently immora
lives Why should not the state estab
lish one or more warehouses us The
need seems to arise, under state con
troll, conducted on the merit system
These could be located upon diversi
fled land. so as 10 afford as great
variety of employment as possible
The experience OF some OF our siste,
states in this way should cncOurag,
us as 10 the probable success of smell
a venture. To these warehouses al
convicted prisoners could be sent VIII,
now go 10 the county iails. except Tia,
sentence he an exceedingly Short one
There they would he under good dis
aiplinc and proper training. and woult