The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-10-10
PRISON SYSTEM
STILL ON POOR
BUSINESS BASIS
Chaplain at Jackson Says Middle
West States Have Not
Learned Lesson
SAYS MEN ARE EMPLOYED
AT IMPROBABLE LABOR
Decries Improper Classification
of Criminals and Lauds
School Idea

of Criminals and Lauds
School Idea
JACKSON, Mich, Oct. s.-After a
several thousand mile trip through
the middle west, during which he
made an extensive and thorough
study Of prison system In the MARQUIS
states, Il. H. Tougher, chaplain OF
Jackson. Mich, state prison. recently
returned to his work here. In an
interview today, Chaplain Tougher
pointed out apparent defects under
which most Of the prisons operate
and suggested remedial measures,
which, In his opinion, would go far
toward solving the prison problem.
BY e. n. TOUGHER,
Chaplain Of jackson, MIch., State
Prlson.
Three things enter into the high
type OF modern prison administra-
ton: discipline, work and educational
training. These form the basis OF
reformation that ats Q man for so
ciety when he Is released.
The prisons Of the middlewest are
rapidly shifting to modern methods.
Incarceration merely for punishment
Is becoming q secondary considera-
ton. The modern methods include
the honor system, work In the open.
with or without guards, and the train
ing schools.
Michigan state prison at Jackson
10 today holding q front rank In mat
ters OF discipline. It may lack some
Of the snap Of movement seen In the
military prisons like Leavenworth,
but II gains In the cheerful. prompt
attention Of the men. who respond
out Of desire to make good and who
are interested In purposeful. profitable
employment.
Michigan In Lead.
In handling its labor problem, Mich
igan state prison IL ahead Of any
thing know Of or have ever seen,
when you consider the opportunity
given for diversity Of employment,
opening up for the men the choice of
half dozen useful fields Of labor.
anyone of which will give him profit.
able employment upon release. At
the same time. a. the Jackson prison
Industries are now conducted, they
are fast reducing the expense to q
point OF self-support.
II 10 an easy thing to conduct q
prison industry; quite another to
make II q profitable business organ.
ixation, useful - q practical educa-
ton to the men and just 70 the out.
side labor world
The labor slogan of the prison, 10
the minimum Of capital invested and
the maximum Of labor employed,
based upon the products Of the soil,
as farming. brick and tile making,
canning and granite cutting.
Most OF the prisons which I visited
In the middle west are frittering away
the time Of hundreds Of convicts by
poor management and contract sys-
TENS, getting no legitimate results
from labor and giving little practical
help to the men.
The right business administration
OF any prison, on state account, can
put itself upon q self-supporting basis
and take care Of compensation for
the men out Of the products OF their
labor. That will stimulate work and
thrift and provide for the needs of
dependents. met now by charity and
the taxpayer. There are but few
states In the union that are not com.
hitting q grave wrong against the In.
nocent dependents Of convicted men
In depriving them of q portion of
the wage Of the incarcerated bread
winner.
Deories Road Work System.
The prisons Of the middlewest will
not solve the problem of convict Ia
Dor by the road work system as
many Of them are attempting to do.
II may work for the colored camps
Of the south or the thinly populated
west, but not In our more thickly
populated states. The short seasons.
the danger OF contact with q curious
and doubtful public with the in
creased policing, the kind Of work
that does not carry through the year,
causing Reorganization for winter
employment. will stamp II as Inn.
practicable.
Prison farms a. they are conduct
on ~ S0SnOVAs low to0 IO0O WOTk
beaten Q thousand ways. The men
are In quiet retirement, away from
. morbid and meddling public. The
quality Of the work engaged in is
more useful to the men and later
opens up . better field for livelihood.
At the same time the returns are
better adapted to meet the expense
now borne by tne taxpayer. Michigan
state prison had scores of men work.
ing out their times under these con.
ditions and 10 o pioneer In the policy.
Improper Classification.
Michigan, In common with every
other middlewest state IL paying too
little attention to the classification of
It's prisoners. Moral degenerates.
professional crooks and comparative
" innocent nrSt offenders are all
herded together. No finer device for
general contamination and develop
ment Of q criminal class could we'll
be perfected. So-called reformatories