Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-07-02
PRISON REFORM IN
OREGON IS DESCRIBED
BY HEAD OF STATE
Governor West Tells Worlds
Conference What 10 Do
ing Here.
PAROLE PLAN EXPLAINED
Prison Was Nothing More Than
Hellhole Where Politicians Grew
Fat and Men Were Crushed"
PAROLE PLAN EXPLAINED

Governor West today delivered an
address before the Worlds Christian
Citizenship conference, which is be-
ing held in Portland, on the subject
of prison reform.
The governor, through Mrs. Nellie
X. Trumbull, who will represent him
at the National Conference of Chair.
ties and Correction which will meet
in Seattle next week, will present a
plan whereby the federal government
will take over all convicts that have
served terms in other states thus doing
away with the floating class of crimi.
nails that are now prevalent in the
country 1t is the intention of the
governor and Superintendent Lawson.
OF the penitentiary, to take the matter
up congressionally and see what can
be done.
The governors address before the
conference today follows:
Prison Reform in Oregon.
Prison reform is neither more nor
less than the application of a few
common sense business principles, sea-
soned with little brotherly love, to
the management of our penal institu.
tions. Practically all those who have
given thought and study to the subject
agree that the following are essential
to all prison reform:
!. A well located institution. mod.
ern in construction and affording ev-
cry facility for the moral, mental and
physical unfit Of the inmates.
2. The. adjustment of all forms Of
contract labor and the installation Of
industries whereby those within the
prison walls may be kept steadily EN-.
ployed, and under favorable condi.
tions, in the manufacture and produe.
tion of articles for state use.
3. A prison farm where outdoor
employment can be given at least part
of the prison population and where an
abundance Of farm and garden pro.
ducts may be grown, thus both improv.
ing the standard of prison fare and
reducing the cost Of maintenance.
d. Legislation permitting the work.
ing Of prisoners upon the county roads
and at other state institutions, which
would furnish further outdoor employ
ment and reduce the number in close
confinement.
D. Some arrangement whereby a
prisoner may be paid at least small
sum for labor performed--a plan
which would not only encourage in
dustry and help the prisoner, but in
many instances relieve the distress
Of destitute dependents.
9. An indeterninate sentence law
and parole system.
Z, A prison management free from
political influence and big enough and
broad enough to grasp the true sipnif.
icance Of the problem.
Oregon Prison.
While we have had an old and out-
of-date institution with which to work.
we have done much to modenize il
and improvements made in recentyears
together with those now under way,
will give us fairly up-to.date insti,
tuition. Our state has never made pro.
vision for a reformatory. We have
training and industrial school for
juvenile delinquents; but all Others,
regardless Of circumstances and condi.
tions, except those confined in our city
and county iails, are sent to the peni.
tentiary, The adoption of our policy
Of detailing prisoners for work at the
other state institutions and upon coun-
ty roads has given MS an outlet for the
better class Of men and, in way, per.
mits reasonable classification and seq
regationi we, therefore, do not feel tho
need Of a reformatory as greatly as
they do in other states. We win soon
erect n large dormitory or barracks
near our prison for the accommodation
Of the tusties employed upon outside
work. This will do away with tho
passing in and out Of the prison yard
each day of large number Of TRUSTEES
and go far TO reduce the pernicious
traffic in dope.
Prison Contracts and Labor.
We have secured the abolishment of
all forms Of prison labor contracts and
the adoption Of the Estate use" sys.
TEN. Our laws provide:
IAN wards Of the state who are ca.
pable Of reasonable amount Of worl,
without physical or mental injury "a
themselves shall be used as fully n,
possible in the production and manu-
faeture Of articles for the use Of, ant
in the performance Of labor for th,
state, but IL shall be unlawful
to enter into any agreement or contrac
r. with any private person, firm or cor
poration for, the employment Of con