The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1914-11-28
INMATES REFORM
in JERSEY PRISON
They Arc Successfully Taught
to Govern Themselves.
FEW VIOLATIONS OF RULES.


/ Throughout Country as "the UniVer-
sity of Another Chanec"-Prisoners
| Look After Themselves Better Than
Host of Guards.
New jerseys reformatery Mt Railway
Is not called by its official title by in
mates and former inmates. They have
adopted for the institution the name
which DR. Frank Moore applied TO Ii
when he assumed charge as Superin
| tendent and endeavored to do real re-
forming Of his nearly 1000 charges. II
Is known throughout the Uuited States
ms 1.-The University OF Another Chance"
! DR.. Moore cares more for results than
for red tape. Unable to personally
study the traits and shortcomings OF
each OF his thousand wards. he has set
them TO studying themselves. He holds
and tells the reformatory inmates that
his business is not 10 critieise the bad
In them. but TO find the good and cult
vate 1t. Or. Moore is no dreamer oc
idealistic phi!anthroplst. He is intense
iy practical, and. being practical, he did
not attempt TO reform the reformatory
methods all ut once. The process has
been gradual. The inmates of the Rah-
way reformatory are now self govern
Ing Two years ago there were report
ed to the superintendent 1850 tnfrac-
tons OF the rules.
Offered Self Government.
DR.. Moore broached his self govern
ment scheme to the inmates. He told
them that 1t rested entirely with them
selves whether they were granted au-
tonomy or not Last year the number
Of inmates increased. but the number
Of reported infractions of the rules
was 2,002 less than during the prev!
Gus year. The older inmates. who
were working for the privilege of be-
ing treated like citizens. were seldom
! reported. and they did much TO tame
\he new inmates who were inclined 70
Ge obstreperous. DIR. Moore called the
inmates together and told them that
4 the time had come when he was going
to grant them autonomy. lie outlined
/ his plan, which vas to have the mis-
| deeds of inmates judged and punish
ment for them meted out by q council
| Of prisoners elected by their fellows.
| On July IL Of this year each Of the
fourteen tiers elected two councilmcn
/ to represent 1t. Each Tuesday and
Friday the council meets to act upoa
reports of misbehavior by inmates.
| The council has president who is
! presiding judge, and secretary. who
! is clerk OF the court. Prisoners are
! produced before the council and faced
/ by their accusers. who are their fellow
inmates or councilmen from their tier.
and they are given ar opportunity TO
! cross examine witnesses and testify In
| their own defense If the accused IN
! found guilty he is sentenced to the loss
of some privilege.
The decision of the council Is final.
| II IL not subject TO approval by the
superintendent or any officer of the In
stitution. and none of the officers ia
| permitted any voice in Its delibera-
4 tions. Tie a councilman mlsbehaves
! and becomes amenable for a serious
breach OF discipline he is tried by his
/ fellow eouncilmen. If q councilman
| Is ousted for cause an election to Sc
! lect his successor is Immediately held
on his tier. Never has the decision OF
! the council failed to meet with the
approval of the prisoners.
Rules Governing Council.
Here are some Of the governing rules
of the council:
/ To do all in our power to stop the use
/ Of profane language among the inmates.
! To try to ascertain the number Of anv
/ inmate gully of stealing articles from
| the room OF another inmate and submit
/ his name to the council for action.
To try tc do away with all disorder IN
! the dining room. especially kissing and
/ loud talking. and 10 keep perfect order.
To try TO have the inmates take pride
/ in their general behavior and in that way
reduce the number of reports against the
] tnroates W thc restitution
/ To try TO lnstil better fellowship and
! spirit among the inmates. To try to lead
| them from the habit of doing things for
which they are liable to be reported into
! the habit Of doing things that are manly
4 and clean.
| The council shall take a lively interest
/ In all amusements for the benefit OF the
/ inmates on holidays ard other times. I
! try to arrange to give shows from time
! 10 time. especially on holidays.
Counclmen viii ask the inmates on
their tiers TO send them suggestions from
! time to time for the betterment of the
! inmates OF the institution.
DR.. Moore says that the prisoners
govern themselves better than a host
Of guards could govern them. The
honor roll has grown under autonomy
I'm the state reformatory. and the de-
linquent BSIl has decreased correspond
ingly.
A Summer Of Haze
Europe and Asia were covered by
fog during the summer Of 1888. Says
Gilbert White Qetter 1907: THE SUM
mer of the year 1888 was an amazing
and a portentous one, for, be-
sides the alarming meteors and tre-
mendous thunderstorns, the