The Somerset reporter., 1908-07-23
For the Reporter.
Conditions at Somerset Iail.

| have occasion to pass the location
of our jail more or less for several
years and it occurs TO me that some
of your readers may be interested to
know of some of the things | have
observed there. OF course | have
always had a wholesome dread of a
Jail The one built few years ago
by this county on High street is fair
looking building, as jails go, and has
the appearance of providing all things
which might be deemed necessary in
such an institution. have never
been inside the building, either as a
visitor or an inmate, and cannot
speak with authority as TO its condi-
tion but, from the external appear
ance l have no doubt it would be
found generally satisfactory as to
sanitation and general good order.
| have read all my life of the horrors
of jails and prisons and ii has been a
source of satisfaction to know that
the conditions of the dungeons of old
do not exist here in Somerset county.
On the other hand, | have felt that
there must be something in the
nature of punishment TO follow jail
sentence, even at Somerset Jail, and
from that consideration | did not at
first understand that the good ma
tured and contented individuals that
l have seen lounging about the
grounds, occupying the grass plots on
the shady side of the structure, were
the so-called inmates of the Jail,
sentenced to confinement there for
different periods. | had understood
that the people inside the building,
promenading to and fro in the cor
ridors, were doubtless restrained in
their libe rty to some extent, but how
these fellows on the outside could be
properly considered prisoners was
Just beyond my comprehension.
am credibly informed that they are,
however, and my attention has been
particularly directed to one man,
young in years and small in stature,
but said to be an old offender, who
seems to be outside most of the time
in pleasant weather. | have thus
seen him SO many times that / have
MIN more especially in mind. He
seems to be thoroughly enjoying his
80 days maintenance at the expense
of the county.
Now if offenders against the law
are to be deferred in the least by the
prospect of Jail sentence it is necessary
that they be restrained as to their
liberty to some degree. Such in
stances as | have mentioned above
make the whole thing joke and a
farce. The fact. if it is a fact, that
the prisoners are allowed the run of
the corridors, and are privileged to
enjoy games of cards, etc with each
other, and this is the appearance of
things from the outside, seems some
what out of keeping with the idea of
close confinement. | am quite sure
that | have noted boys cheerfully
coming and going, doing errands for
the inmates and passing things in
through the windows.
The theory of incarceration as a
remedy for criminal tendencies is
that the prisoner shall be closely
shut up, made to feel that the strong
hand of the law is upon him and,
under such circumstances, be given
an opportunity to reflect, with the
hope, at least, that he may so con-
duet himself on being liberated as
not to require repetition OF the
punishment. All this theory and
expectation is set at naught by such
conditions as | have above described.
AN OBSERVER.