The Monte Vista journal., 1909-06-19

cExL cn0Qpo0 ~ cxAyz0r AasoN
Public interest Is directed to the
state prisons Of New York state by the
recent action Of the legislature in e.
acting . measure transferring the
property at Comstock. Warrington
county. purchased by the state from
Hon. Isaac v. Baker about i've years
ago. from the Jurisdiction Of the State
Lunacy commission to the superintend.
ent Of state prisons and appropriating
100000 for the construction and
equipment Of an additional new state
prison to be known ~ the Great
Meadow prison.
The overcrowded condition Of the
prisons Of the state has become .
moro and more serious problem In the
last few years, and Notwithstanding
the erection Of the new prison At Bear
Mountain down the Hudson to take the
place Of the old Sing Sing prison.
which II now we'll under way. State
Superintendent Of Prisons Cornelius
v. Collins pointed out to the legisla.
ture that the need Of another new
prison u already imperative. owing
TO the growing prison population nat.
ufally due to the steady increase Of
the population Of the empire state.
There has been practically no new
prison Construction. aside from neces-
sary improvements. with the excep-
ton Of one wing OF Clinton prison.
since 1s46. There are at present in
the three state prisons 4.l07 convicts.
an increase Of 1881 in Is months. and
- the prisons provide but $500 cells.
II 10 necessary to double" In more
than 1000 Of these small cells. To
afford relief - soon - possible II II
proposed to start work this summer
o. the Comstock property 20 - to
have the buildings ready for occu.
pancy early next year.
Few persons. except those who have
Inspected . state prison or are directly
connected with one Of these institu.
tons. have any adequate conception
Of their magnitude. and only BY com.
parisou with the conditions existing
IN the prisons Of this state . decade
or more ago can the faf.reaching Of.
feet Of the numerous prison reforms.
in which this state has been the pi.
onssr, b understood comprehensivsly.
These changes and the establishment
IN New York state OF what are reco9.
missed - the model penal institutions
Of the country have been brought
about directly BY the orders Of the
present State 0upsfintendent Of Pris-
oos, Cornelius v. Collins. who has
been head Of the state prison depart.
msut since 1897. or through legtsla.
ton enacted upon his recommend dalton.
The policy Of the state In regard 70
thsss Institutions IL best expressed In
statsmsnt made By the supsrintsnd.
eat bsfors the National State Prisons
association In Baltimore. Nd:
the state IN committing man TO
prison not only intends that the com.
nonwsalth shall b protected nom bis
criminal acts during the time q his
inearcsratioo. bat that those In whose
charge be 10 given shall use oil pos
sible means 70 eject biz rsfoematSoo
and return him 70 society better md
With Q higher conception Of his owa
moral OBLIGATION"
Dveu II these days Of snlishtsamsat
4 % rot Q IN cry 20 Tie whipping.
pest, The daskeoed cell and Tie broad. |
and.watse diek. For yoafs ell other
opasidesatioas IN prison Management
vees subordinatsd 70 large Industrial
peoduetioa and The greatest financial
rotngns % the state from the prod. |
ucts q prison labor. Hard labor 10. |
e. strict discipline y still required.
= Il must b. but the reformation
81 oAucatioa q he criminal. 70 ~
seoes his moral sense aaA ssed hin
NH non prison 70 become. u 20
Go1oA 0 uoeeul ~ Deo4uettvs to1svt
A1ol haD booa nA1o paea0o10G