Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-29
gsE@ORS
n! M HhI|jRE POWER
\ They Are Unable to Rem
sdy Triple Government of
AZ a. Penitentiary.
Of ETICISE COMMISSION,
he SUPERVISOR AND OTHERS
re- Characterize as unfortunate"
&c the Legislation Which Gre
ated New Board of Parole.
Especial to the Newark stsr.l

NSpGctbt To the Ne0hFh SAAEs1
TRENTON, Dec. 29.-That there is
a triple form of control at the State
prison which has created eonsidera-
BILE friction and working to the dis
advantage of the institution, is the
remarkable statement contained in
he annual report of the board Of in
spectors of the prison filed with the
Governor.
The board finds fault with the
principal keeper. prison supervisor,
Prison Labor Commission. new
board of parole created by the last
Legislature, criticizes the methods
by which prison labor contracts have
been abolished, and suggests that
he principal keeper and supervisor
of the institution be made subser-
Went to the board or that the board
Itself be abolished.
Admitting that the board Of in
spectors have violated the statute
regulating the employment of con-
victs under the contract system, the
report pleads that it has yielded to
the law for more human treatment.
The board asserts the State has not
been fair in forcing upon 1t situa-
ton which might have been avoided
had proper and timely action been
taken in carrying out the general
scheme for the abolition of the labor
system.
Find Fault with Keeper.
Fault is found with Principal
Keeper Thomas B. Madden, OF this
city, because he has insisted upon
"a large number of guards for the
convicts employed on the road build
Ing work. Supervisor Joseph 2.
FoCt oCIr Ia charcoal with faiIIrp
70 acuuaint the board with the finan-
cial condition of the institution. The
Withholding Of bills for the purchase
Of supplies until the first month of
9he fiscal year has resulted in the
appropriation being overdrawn ST.
750
Referring to the triple form of con-
xrol at the institution, the report
gays: IF the officer responsible for
the bills was directly under the con-
&rol of the board of inspectors, the
remedy would lie in the hands of
che board In the case of the State
prison, both the supervisor and the
principal keeper are absolutely indie
pendent of the board and of each
other This triple form of control
has created considerable friction,
and is working to the disadvantage
pf the State prison.
Nides that the Governor shall appoint
q principal keeper and by statute
gives him the same right for the ap-
pointment of a supervisor, there
should be legislation placing these
mppointees directly under the control
of the board of inspectors who are
charged with the management of the
prison, but at present are limited in
their management by the indepen-
dent powers of the principal keeper
and the supervisor.
Either the board OF inspectors
should be vested with complete power
and held responsible for the dis
charge of their duties, or the control
and entire management should be
vested in the principal keeper and
vhe board of inspectors abolished.
Divided responsibility necessarily
cannot result in harmonious opera
Zion and efficient results
Unfortunate Legislation.
unfortunate" is the word used by
.khe report in discussing the legisla-
sion of the last session creating a
hew board of parole, consisting of the
principal keeper resident physician
and moral instructor. This act was
che means of taking from the board
of inspectors the right of parole under
Ahe act OF I'LL. relating To lnuetel-
inmate sentences. The boards dele
gates to the American Prison Assosi-
alton said that prison officials in PH
parts of the country considered such
a board of parole as repugnant to all
advanced ideas of prison work. Con-
kinuing the report says:
while no criticism can be made
of the individual members of the
board of parole as now constituted
the danger lies in the fact that the
discipline of the prison Is seriously
heopardized. Prisoners who apply for
parole to the board. If not released
naturally hold the principal keeper
as responsible and thus encourage
personal antagonism and insubordi-
nation. Whether or not 1t is advis-
able to re-establish the board of pa
role as created under the law of 1911
is matter for legislative wisdom.