The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1914-04-03
THE WORK|NG
OF PRISONERS
ON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS BY
W. J MeCLAREN, COUNTY
ROAD ENGINEER Nc
DOWELL COUNTY
(Paper read at the Morgantown Good
Roads SrhOol.)

10 our highways l. not only logical. but
it is humane.
The citizen Who, through the ccmmis-
sion of crime. has added To the commu-
nity's burden. Ought not only to be given
the opportunity To recompense in some
degree that community, but he should ~
imPre--ed with the wholesome idea that
to do =" is his duty.
Much has leen written i'm opposition
70 convict labor on our highways; but
our experience for the past few years in
the actual working out OF this plan. Lead
us To the conclusion that thus far il Is the
most remedial method of handling this
class Of our unfortunates.
The prinriP'e upon which we have been
workir 2 that crime can he prevented
throug the punishment of the criminal.
has not bsen what some have claime~i for
IT. Experience proves that the punish
ment "f a criminal is not necessarily a
deterrent factor i'm the prevention Of
crime Ii has come to be admitted that
during the infliction Of punishment the
physical health Of the prisoner shonld not
be impaired and that everything possible
should ~ done looking tn such improve-
ment "f hi~ character n may tit him for
better citizenship. The corrcctness of this
idea is rapidly gaining ground. and when
coupled with the economic aspect. which
should always Ice a consideration. il has
a double force A number of our Stafes
have caught the reasonablens~s Of this
principle, and the road-making method
OF securing the criminals contribution T.
the expense me has helped to create. is
gradually being accepted as economically.
morally and scientifically correct. While
engaged in building roads, the criminal Is
doing 50 without compensation, and at
cost sctusny less in many cases than eihst
OF his keep in the county iail. I'm doing
this work he is beneGtting his community
without imposing on it any additional
tax burden.
The object that the criminal H. doing
work that should be done by hired labor
will not hold, TO- he il performing a task
that the average hired laborer does not
care u and very seldom does perform un-
less paid a wage that proves too heavy o
burden on the average county or state
treasury.
This method of employing convict la
Dor in majority Of the Southern States
may lie said fairly - have passed the ex-
Perimental stage and to have Iec0me a
part OF the accepteSi practice. Even A.
far bark a. $3.50, a. reported by the Uni
ted states Burcau Of Highways, il was
found that convicts i'm twelve of the
Southern states had added to the yearly
valuation "f the highways an amount Of
nearly one million dollars i'm many states
and addition cost Of maints nance or
guarding Of prisoners. The report also
shows that the prisoners, in addition
thereto. hal derived great physical ben
eft Perhaps the most impressive Lesson
a convict learns while engaged IN road
making, j. that when he leave the camp
he - physically fit o. ms%t any demandz
upon linn, and that hard days work
without the help Of stimnlant- j. quit.
possible.
In North Carolina all able-ho,Ii.-d men
wiO are not under longer sentence than
ten years are worked on the highways
willie in California cOnvicts under Longer
sentences are Used in road construction
The aPprehended. but not convicte-i, prs
oners Who are frequently unable To give
bail are, 10y mutual agreement. IN many
state~ ussSl on the road. II on trial tLey
are acquitted they are paid fair com
Tensation for their labor when 1T free
In thi- way man has a small capital for
his SuI1'ort while seeking honorable EN-.
Ployment and be- has not been PHYSICAL,
d'abis~i ~ weeks II enforced iditnc-s anc
bad air in an unwho.es me county iaii
II be u convicted, many judges consi,e,
that such time A. he las worked may -
credited u his sentence.
IL > frequently and strongly urge
against tins system that prisoners hav.
more opportunity for e-cape. Fxrrrienc.
has proven, however. that le.- than tws
per cent e~cape annually. A convict wbs
works fa-thfully and shows himself wor
thy should 10 rewarded by receiving rea
sonab'y generous treatment. Pair and
jnst treatment bring ont the he-t in nno~i
men, While Bullying them only tends d
ereste bore sici0usnes-.
The efficiency Of convict lal-or. com.
pared with hire'i labor, particularIy wher.
a reward ~ shortened time for a,.,-I vorl
- Offered, y highly in favor of tie con.
Wet.
IL has hccn said that di-cu--i.,r a evil.
doe away With them; hut the iniqnity ol
the svervr jail j. - vast no amount %
discus~ion can purge NJ II the evil. Bul
the working 81 convicts on the reads car
be made even partial solution Of IN.
evil, u is surely worth while. The ide.
has attracted the attention Of the vc~lt
and results fully demonstrate that IN.