Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-02-14
Jail Reform.

. at Springfield yesterday, is OF partf
cular interest in Rock Island because
the reforms that are recommended
are nearly all badly needed here.
While the Rock Island county jail is
probably not the worst the committee
visited. many of the deplorahle condi-
/ tiCns enumerated in a general way
were found here, and they prevail
through no fault of the sheriff or
others in charge of the institution.
The Argus has repeatedly called at
: tention TO the necessity for changes
looking 10 better care for the unfortu-
mates compelled to serve time in the
county bastile. Several plans have
been suggested as an alternative since
the people have gone on record at an
election against issuing bonds 10 build
new structure. Il has been suggest
ed that the present interior be torn out
and new, modern, sanitary steel cells be
provided. In such an event the jailer's
residence should be maintained else
where so that the prisoners can ge.
| the light and air from the south.
The commission found that % of IS
! jails in the state are so dark that arti-
/ fetal lighting is necessary on the
! brightest days. The jail was dark dur
/ ing the day because their was no cleo
trio current. The only light in anoth-
er jail percolated through a single win
dow. one-half foot wide and three and
one-half feet long. The prisoners
/ spend the day wrapped in their blank
1 cts on the Aoor and read at night when
/ the electric current is on. Twenty-one
/ jails have solid stone cells. Only ten
/ are put in the first class as to santa
| ton. Thirty are considered second
/ class. twenty six az poor, while 80 or
one-third are in such wretched con-
dition that common humanity demands
their abandonment at once
Only four jails supply sheets and pill
lows Fifty one have cells fitted with
iron frames with mattresses and blank
cts. Twenty seven use hammocks and
blankets. Seven have cots. mattresses
and blankets. Two use blankets alone
on solid iron frames. Ten throw the
mattresses on the floor and allow the
prisoners TO sleep their.
In nearly all the jails the prisoner
occupies the bed his predecessor left,
no matter what his condition as TO
health may have been. Eight wash
bedding every week. Twelve jails sup.
ply the prisoners with water so tina.
they may wash their own bedding
Forty jaiIs wash bedding every month.
eighteen every six months. while four
never wash II at all but burn it, when
in the opinion Of the officer in charge,
it is no longer fit for use. Just when
a blanket becomes unfit for further
use,we imagine, is often a delicate
question to settle with justice TO both
the prisoner and the taxpayer"
Thirty TWO jails do not provide their
inmates with bathing facilities; wash
pans and wash tubs are used in emer-
genCies in such jails. Only thirty two
jails provide the men with separate
towels. which means that two-thirds
of the counties expect men in all con-
Gitions of health 70 use common towels.
In all save ten counties the food is
served in q repellent manner In six
counties the men sit on the floor TO
eat their meals.
After this report OF abhorrent con
q J..
How all these conditions must contri-
butte to the elevation OF the prisoners
own sense Of personal seIfesteem, the
absence of which, in q large extent, is
. responsible for his immobility or his
downward course
Speaking of the Kangaroo court. the
. commission says: Left to its own
free operation the Kangaroo court be-
comes the means of oppression and
even robbery. Prisoners may be
fined out OF every cent they possessed
on entering the jail. aud upon the ar
rivals may be imposed by the older
residents the most humiliating and de
grading services"
The comm ission declares that idle
ness Is the grand curse Of the Illinois
jeil system II prevails in almost alb
solute perfection in all but 2 Of the SO
iails. Only six counties allow prison
ers q per diem TO apply on fines which
chey cannot pay in cash. The pre-
yalence of idleness greatly aggravates
other evils Of jaiis,' says the commits
sion, for however repuisive they may
be, II invites that class, who, through
deliberate acts of drunkenness, dis.
orderly conduct or vasrancy, secure
their own Incarceration that they may
live in incidence at public expense"
In its recommendations the commits
sion says that there should be a law
placing the jails under higher super
vision TO the extent that some state
agency may condemn and close an I'M
fit jail. The commission advises a
law which should give il, under proper
regulations, power TO fix a standard
jail and 10 compel all jails of the state
TO conform 10 that standard under
penalty of condemnation and aban-
dOnmeut Such standardization, the
commission says. should include
among other things, the fixing of the /
requisite amount Of air space for each
prisoner, the diet, the amount Of heat
and artificial light, means OF segrega /
ton Of the sexes and ages. the sani /.