The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-11-19
THE NEW PENAL
INSTITUTION.

Attorney General A. r. Barnes, according to
recent issue of the Salt Lake Tribune is credited
with advocating the necessity of establishing a
new penal institution" that will be a medium be-
tween the state prison and the state industrial
school" The advanced in Justification for
such move follows
THAT there many young who take
one wrong step, and are sen'enced to the state
prison for a period of from one to five years.
who wrecked morally by coming in contact
with the desperate criminals who are in the state
prison. He contends that they should be kept
in separate institution, where they would be
occupied with manly labor and be turned out
useful citizens instead of avowed criminals at
the expiration of their sentences.
Where such men are sent to the state prison
the confinement and association with hardened
criminals makes them worse, turns them against
society and frequently when they serve their time
and are given their freedom they are greater
menace to the community than they were when
they went in. Furthermore 1t u.s. according to
Mr.. Barnes theory better to have them separate
from the boys of the industrial school There
they are thrown with class that is on the whole
younger than themselves, and it is thereby more
difficult to accomplish their reform.
"He would have only first term convicts there
and only those who are sentenced for not more
than five years.
"Mr. Barnes also believes that it would be
an excellent proposition for the state to provide
that convicts in the state prison should work on
roads,"
No one will controvert the fact that criminals.
should be classified and kept separate in such clas-
sifcation, but the rules OF such classification
suggested, FIRST termers for not more than five
years. will not always hold good and be sound be-
cause there many such criminals who OF the
worst character-born criminals.
The suggestion that the convicts be used
the roads is in keeping with the present law which
If properly carried out, would obviate the neces-
sity Of such expenditure. II such convicts
kept working the roads they separated from
the other class and in fact be grouped and
classified in such work. If there is any failure in
the Of convicts on the roads under the present
law then the law is faulty there is failure on
the part of the officers in charge to vigorously car
ry out it's provisions, as conditions are such that
the convicts be used in some part OF thestate
during the whole year. Why another expenditure
to so apparent unnecessary purpose that is nat
uraly solved in another way? Why not spend such
money in the keep of the convict road camps rath-
or than the establishing of another penal nstitu-
ton?
Mr.. Barnes further recommends that
They would be put to work at farming, or
at some valuable trade.
This would undoubtedly be contrary to the
provisions of the state constitution prescribing the
limitation of convict labor ARTICLE 16, Section 81
To say the least 1t would put the convicts in direct
competition with free labor which Is both undesir
able and unnecessary,
There is a recommendation also that they Ue
paid for such work." which is good and is an in
novation, but the attempt to establish the idea O.
putting the convicts on business basis was trie
four years ago when House Bill No. 90 was intro
duced in the Legislature Of
(by reuuest), and which failed by opposition from
the labor organizations and was substituted by in
cooperating the additional Communication of sentenc
instead There is no reason why our convict labo
law should not be amended as to make it pos
sible to place the convcts a business basis viz
allowing them a certain per diem, charging theI
with the expense and keep and awarding the la
ance according to the discretion of the officers /
charge to each prisoner at the expiration OF hi
term of service to those dependent on him.
We doubt that we need another Pen Institute
but we do need the convict labor law amende
SO at least to make II discretionary whether u
convicts shall be placed business basis in a
cord with the spirit OF the bill introduced TO-
years ago and in accordance with Mr.. Barnes su
I gestion or the additional Communication of senten
\ or both We also seed more vigorous and exten
! ed application OF the convict labor law by tho
in charge. Take every prisoner possible out of Z
I penitentiary and work him out in the air and 81
shine on the roads and the question now moot
| will solve itself
YOUR ENEMIES.
+ III