Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-12
HAS
IDEAL PRISON,
LAW REPORT SAYS
Newark Committee Finds Insti-
tuition Which Pays Prisoners
Families and Profits $4,000.

The report of the prisons committee
of the Board of Freeholders dealing
with its recent visit to Detroit and
Cleveland .snal institutions were
looked over with a view of installing
some sort Of a manufacturing plant
at the Caldwell penitentiary, will be
presented to the Board of Freeholders
tomorrow afternoon.
The report, which was drawn by
Theodor d. Gottlieb, acting secretary
of the committee, is a voluminous one
and cites fully what was discovered
by the committee, as well as Things
that led up to the trip.
In February the committee had a
conference with a committee from the
Essex Trades Council, at which time
it was reported that the b organi-
cations were in favor of providing,
york for prisoners under the system
worked cut in New York State ana
Known as the States Use System.
BY this is meant the manufacture OF
goods that can be used by the state
or county. such as brushes and chairs.
For over a year, ever since the max
ing of handkerchiefs ceased at the
Caldwell ~peniteAtiary, the PRISONS
have been idle, with the exception of
a limited number who work on the
stone pile and in building stone fences.
1t is agreed by the members of the
committee that some employment
should be found for the prisoners, but
just nov to do this without mourning
the wrath of the labor unions has been
a problem.
Another question is whether the
families of the prisoners hould re-
ceive any part of his earnings while in
prison or not. 1t is understood that
the prison committee is divided on this
point.
Nothing of Interest I'm Cleveland.
In Cleveland the committee did not
find much TO interest it, but in the De-
troit House of Correction they found
an admirable institution. Three differ
ent classes of articles are manufactured
there-chairs, about seventy-ive differ
ent styles; brushes, made by the juve-
nile prisoners in twenty different styles,
and shell buttons, the latter industry
not being pushed to any great extent.
The institution is not only self sus-
tanning but is run at an average profit
of $4,000 a year, after 81 a day has
been paid to the family of each pris-
oner for each day he is employed.
Wives of deserving husbands are paid
$3.50 per week. with fifty cents a week
extra for each minor child
Under the system in vogue at Cald-
well of no employment for prisoners.
naturally the family receive nothing.
"A deserving or non-supporting
father is sent to the penitentiary,
where he has good wholesome o ard
a cellar bed, and no productive work."
says the report, while the wife. bur-
dened with children, is forced to put
them in a home and work away be-
yond her strength to support them or
else become d charge on the city COM
munity, an applicant for public or pri-
vate charitable relief.
This system is Illogical and unfair;
it compels the wife to suffer the bur
den of the punishment, encourages the
offender in his i~aziness, and forces the
community to support him and pos
sibly his family.
Ideal system Is TO work Offender.
THE ideal system is to work the Of
fender not at the reproductive stone
pile. but at remnuerative work, and
pro rate a portion of his earnings to
support his family and another to pay
for his keep, thus relieving society OF
the enormous cost of maintaining penal
institutions and dependents"
Concluding the report says:
I'VE must substitute industry, educa-
ton and kindness for our present1sys-
tenn and exert our energies toward
reformation and prevention. We can
not adopt the Detroit or Cleveland
system in its entirely, but we can make
an effor towards the solution of our
own problems at Caldwell, n one
that will place us in line with modern
and progressive methods as adopted in
other communities"
1t is expected that the report of the
committee will call out considerable
discussion at the monthly meeting Of
the Board of Freeholders tomorrow
afternoon.