The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-16
EPR|SON CONGRESS
SESSIONS OPENED
tCommittee on Discipline
Made an Interesting
Report Today.
National News Association)

(Nat!onal News Association)
OMAHA, Neb. Oct. 16.--In it's an
nual report the standing committee on
prison discipline, through its chair
man. Henry X. w. Scott, today re-
viewed its studies OF American Prisons
before the annual meeting Of the
American Prison association.
The committee comments upon the
ethical effects OF a prison sentence at
length and finds that the greatest
good may be accomplished through
thorough sanitation. the provision OF
constructive labor, and an enforce
ment Of rules guarding prisoners con-
duct but not degrading in effect.
The segregation of tubercular pris-
Oners was also most forcibly advOcat-
ed, the committee holding that ade-
quate medical attendance and teaching
should be given to all sufferers from
this prison sc0uree."
The committee says in part:
The Report In Part.
"Prison rules should be based up
on sound principles, keeping in mind
the interest both of the institution
and the prisoner. Rules and regula-
tons degrading in their character have
long since been found TO be more a
menace to our system of prison discip-
line than otherwise. We have seen
the downcast eye, the striped suit.
the short cut hair. the lock step, the
dark cell, and various forms or meth
DDS Of corporal punishment replaced
by the more humane, more Sensible
that in no prison in the country where
this has been done will one fail to find
the standard OF discipline improved
Your chairman has had some practi-
cal experience along these lines with
very gratifying results, and is one of
those who believe that when man
has been sentenced by the court to
prison at hard labor, for violation Of
the law. and during his confinement
Is of good behavior, he has the right
to expect that no further punishme> =
will be inflicted upon him than that
prescribed by the court but that his
life in prison shall be made as bear
able as Is consistent with good prison
management.
The knowledge that special privi-
leges are not granted to any prisoner
that cannot be earned by every other
Is an effective aid to discipline, so al.
so Ia cleanliness Of person, clothing.
bedding, and cell essential to good
conduct. Plenty of we'll cooked and
we'll balanced food should be provided,
a we'll stocked library, a school for the
illiterate, a new voice in the chapel &C.
casionally at Divine service, lectures
on interesting subjects by prominent
men, entertainments on holidays, all
these are good for the prisoners and
good for the prison.
Labor for Prisoner.
Labor for the prisoner is most es-
sential for his moral and physical de-
velopment and industrial training.
No one factor in prison discipline will
bring about greater or more satisfac-
tory results than close application to
work.
The problem of how best to employ
him seems to have remained unsolv.
ed, judging from. the wide divergence
OF opinion expressed by men qualified
to speak upon this important subject.
We venture the assertion that in no
prison can a system of prison labor
be found that is altogether satisfac-
tory. 1t is agreed however, that the
prisoner should be made to work and
that such work should be of a produc-
tive kind.
The application of business methods
in dealing with criminals Is important.
No system will fully commend itself
to the public unless with other things
1t is based upon sound economic prin-
ciples.
Productive labor in prison not only
aids discipline greatly. and reforma-
ton, conserves the health of the pris-
oner. and fits him to be self-support-
ing when discharged, but secures to
the state relief from the cost Of main
tenance OF the prisoner, who is able
bodied, should repay to the state by
his labor. what 1t costs to support him
! in prison.