Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-11-15
REFORMATORY
REPORT MADE
Startling Statistics on Num-
Der Imprisoned in Amer
lea Given
~ Associated Pre-"

/ ~ Associated Pre-"
Baltimore. Md Nov 49, The re
port Of the committee on Reforma
tory Work and Parole. 70 the Amer
lean Prison ASSOCIATION nov hold
ing congress IN This city. was
made tonight by Frank Moore n
railway. ~ J.. chairman % the com
mli'ee. Tho report was In part al
follows
'Tho report ~ the Census Bureau
on no Prison Population of the
nited States, published December
90 1911. shows something OF how
Great the criminal question Is with
hich the American Prison Assoc.a-
ton has ~ deal The ratio ~ pris-
ouers on January ] 1910. was l2'
70 each 100000 ~ our population.
while tho ratio OF commitments dur
NJ that year was 522 70 each 100.
600 citizens. Thus DO appears that as
me beginning Of The year 1910 one
person out OF every 500 greeted the
New Year 10 prison. and that during
that same year for every 100 persons
10 our total population there was
one prison commitment The entire
number confined during me year
was 479,7G3 This number Is great
or than the population % any one
% ten states. and u is larger than
iho combined population Of the four
States Wyoming Nevada. Alaska
and Delaware
From the census b. also appears
fhat there is an increase IN the num-
Der ~ those who are being commit
ted 20 penal institutions The cen
sns Of 1890 shows i06 prisoners for
every 100000 population. he census
81 90i shows 100 5-l0. while the
census Of 1910. as already stated, Is
1875. The census Of England for
1910 shows 1856 tried In courts for
every 10000, while our census
shows j22 actually imprisoned for
the same number.
The first month an offender Is IN
custodial care Is the most vital part
NJ his confinement. During that time
IL In 81 the utmost importance that
hr should be completely isolated |
from the rest OF the population. The |
receiving ward ls the most valuable
part of an institution. not az n means
NJ preventing contagious diseases
from spreading. not that II may be
used for the instruction OF the in
mate In the rules and spirit OF the
institution these are both ueedful. !
hut the necessary thing above every
thing else Is that IL should become n |
psychological laboratory. whore not
only the mental ability OF the inmate
should De carefully determined. but
where the hidden secrets that lie
back of the crime he committed shall |
Ie discovered Here In the receiv- |
No ward tho physician. the psych- !
ilogist and the wise dlsciplinarlan-
he officer OF kecnest perception. are
M needed 10 discover the very tap /
DOT Of the mans oyil deeds In or
i'r that his assignment TO work may
% wise The discipline to Doe admin
stored 70 him Just and so In the
nd the man reformed"
Nf'cr drawing attention to some
u the types of offenders who press
mo special mental and physical d..
icultics. and reviewing the eXistius
Methods OF roformatory work. Mr.
Moore took mp the question of pa
.'r lie said that some persons
mod 50 per cent. others &c per
s.' md still others 81 per cent OF
.arol"d prisoners make good. He quo
~ one investigator as follows:
I believe that % per cent Of the
oys parolod make greater average
y success than Is made by the peo-
.le in the class from which they
ONE This Is due 20 the training
md preparation they get al the in
'liution Another - per cent make
God 10 tho extent of living free
rom crime ana can be classified as
God citizens sustaining the relation
u lifo IN croditable manner An.
thor 20 per cent are more or less
~ the ragged edge, having a dlspo
ition % minor vices and bordering
ften on criminal conduct From this
lass many are returned 20 the insti-
ntion for second commitment The
lst 20 per cent are fecble-minded.
ogenerate specimens ~ the race. II
.ould De- better for them and for so
le'v II they were under some modi-
.cd system 90 humane restraint that
ould prevent them from entering
1fo thc complex relations OF civili-
alton and reproducing their kind.
believe, saws he. al the very least
o. per cent are capable OF reforma-
on and into development OF excel
mi, citizenship