The Washington herald., 1910-12-04
JAILS SCHOOLS OF CRIME

obtainable, and there also are held those
who. after trial. are remanded for SEN
tence. During this period of detention
their heaviest tasks consist OF cleaning
out their cells and wards. eating their
meals, and attending the sessions of the
kangaroo court"
The latter is frequently the most up
lifting influence during their jail expert
ence with the exception Of the Sunday
gospel services. The rest of the time
hangs heavily upon their hands. To say
the least, the effect of such a system
of detention is demoralizing and stulti-
flying
During a recent visit 10 the Allegheny
County jail at Fittsburg, the writer was
deeply impressed with the procedure in
vogue there. The jail accommodates be-
tween $50 and 500 prisoners. The cells
are two or three times the size of those
in our local jail. with running water ana
closet in each, and a comfortable cot
which eau be unlocked and fumigated
in brief Space of time. The system Of
washed-air ventilation does away at the
same time with foul odors and with dan
gerous drafts. What surprised US most
was TO note the inmates circulating about
the corridors engaged IN cleaning, also
spirit OF Industry and content was mani
fest, as opposed TO that Of restlessness
so evident in places where men are de-
tanned without employment.
Difficult 10 Get Work.
1t may be more difficult to provide en-
ployment for those detained in a smaller
Jail. but when the numbers run between
sixty and one hundred, as in Wayne
County. the idea is at least worthy OF
trial. and the beneficent results will be
more appreciated by the men themselves
than by the county. which would be the
financial gamer by the operation.
Still under the present system some i'm
provement is possible. There may be some
cases where long delays in trial are I'M
avoidable, and where injury might be
wrought for the accused by too much
haste. Ordinarily, however, the efforts
of court officials should be directed to-
ward the disposition Of cases as expedi-
tiously as possible. Frequently the de-
PENDANT or his attorney is to blame for
long detention in jail. but even in such
eases the trial judge could overrule and
thus terminate a demOralizing experience
of inactivity and vile contact.
Then, too, 1t often occurs that men are
detained IN jail many months after their
conviction before final disposition is
made. 1t is true that in cases where the
testimony is of such nature as to stir
the judge to indignation, that official
should not permit himself 10 pass SEN
tence while in that mood. Yet. ON the
ether hand, the disposition OF such cases
should not be too long delayed. There
can be no absolute rule as TO these mat
ters but the effort should be directed to-
ward getting such convicted men as are
TO be sentenced TO some prison where
employment would tend at least TO min
imize the evils OF a lengthy jail sojourn
Some few years ago a man lay in our
county jail eleven months, was then sent
TO the State prison at Jackson, and finally
was released on six months parole;
and with him the sense of injustice had
not died out because of his unnecessarily
long detention III Jail
Since the county Jail is almost univer-
sally admitted TO be school of crime"
the least that can be done is TO make the
detention of its inmates as brief as pos
sible, and 20 see to 1t that none are
kept after school"