The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-17
CONvICTS TOLL TO
IMPROVE SELVES
Warden Russell Says Contract Sys'
TEN Is Incentive for Good Con-
duct in Prison.

MARQUETTE, Mich, Nov. 1.-THE
discipline at the Marquette prison,
although it has been excellent for a
number OF years past. was never bet
ter than al the present time, accord
ing NJ Warden James Russell Dealing
with this subject I'm his report FOR the
biennial period ending june 80, last
and which has Just been submitted by
the board OF control TO Gov, Warmer.
Mr.. Russell makes this interesting
comment
The bulk Of the men are employed
on two contracts. one for the manu-
faCture 0f Overalls. and the other for
boxes The number Of men employed
on these two contracts ri the date OF
this report Is 24Q-166 being EN-
ployed on the overall contract and "A
In the box factory. The men engaged
on these contracts are making some
thing over $4,000 a year la overtime,
this being money paid them by the
contractors for work done over the
tasks assigned them. Very many Of
them are saving IL so that they may
have something 10 start with wheu
they are discharged Under the pres
ent parole Law s prisoner who Is re
leased Is required 10 furnish his own
clothing on going out and provide for
his transportation 10 his destination.
Men who are looking for a parole are
therefore making il point To save
money 10 meet these expenditures. and
this incentive 10 good conduct in the
shops is potent factor In promot-
ing better discipline in the prison
generally.
During the past two years | have,
with The consent of the contractors
closed down the shops every evening
at 80, and have allowed all the men
the yard for exercise aud recreation
for half an hour before they go to
their cells each day in the week eX-
cept Saturdays. on which day We close
down al O'Clock TO give time for the
weekly bath. which all the men are
required to take In addition TO this,
| have during the last year arranged
10 have the men given the yard every
Sunday forenoon from $50. after the
services in the chapel, until IL O'Clock.
This, with the time given them in the
yard during the week days. has tended
very notiCeably 10 improve their
health and has developed much bet
ter feeling among them towards the
prison management
The contractors have found that
they have lost nothing by this con.
cessiOn. as the men are showing in
creased efficiency in the shops and
work more cheerfully In consequence
| have sought 10 give the men all the
time possible In the yard, where they
can engage In athletic games and en-
| JOY the fresh air and sunshine, and
my experience convinCes me that Jhis
is a wise policy. In that It tends &c
| humaniEe the men and keep them IA
| good physical condition. The yard
! privilege il very highly priced and de
| prtvation OF that and other privileges
in the prison has come 10 be the prin
cipa punishment TO which We resort
in order 20 maintain discipline
Il deem it proper TO say that the
general conduct OF the men during the
past year, has been about all that
could be desired and more than might
reasonably be expected In an institu
ton OF this kind II has been very
rarely necessary to resort to harsh
punishment for violation OF the prison
rules or misconduct OF any kind
Taken as a whole, the men have
shown a high appreciation of the priv
ileges granted them and a quick and
gratifying responsiveness 20 the ef
forts being made 10 better their con
dition Weeks have gone by without
q single report being made against
any OF the men employed in the shops
and the quality Of the workmanship
IN both factories has shown a marked
improvement since the yard privilege
has been enlarged
The health OF the prisoners durint
the past year has been really remark
able. For weeks at a time the hos
ptal has been empty. and the bulk oi
those who received treatment there
were the victims OF accidents or were
diseased when received in the prison