New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-29
Farm Industrial Prison
Urged in Plan for New
Progressive System.
HONOR SCHEME FOR
CONVICTS URGED
Question Raised in Sixty-ninth
Annual Report of Reducing
Political Influence.

Development of the honor system of
treatment of prisoners in state penal
institutions, with a comprehensive
plan for a new type of state prison,
embodying a progressive plan so con-
victs can be promoted into classes or
honor groups, is one of the features
advocated in the siXty-ninth annual re-
port of the Prison Association. Sub
stitution Of a farm industrial prison
for Sing Sing is also suggested.
Women prisoners convicted of fell
onies ought, in the opinion of the as
ISOLATION, to be received at the State
Farm for Women at VaEatie. The de-
velopment of road work for prisoners
is strongly urged, as is the possibility
of the utilization of the state prison
site at Wingdale, in Duchess County,
for the State CustodiaL Asylum for
Predetermined Delinquensts.
The report urges comprehensive
study of the prison industries, and
emphasizes the strong and increasing
demand, not only that the prisoners be-
come, if possible, self-sUpporting, but
that they be able to earn something
toward the support Of their families.
II also raises the question whether
there should not be a change in the
method Of administration of the state
prisons looking to the reduction of po-
litical influence.
The association has given special
attention to inspecting the county
iails. Many important improvements
have been made as resnlt OF its rec
concentrations.
During the fiscal year of 1912-l913,
PAP men from state prisons were on
parole to the association, of whom
only 16 per cent. becarne delinquent,
although the parole period generally
lasted a year or more. In other words
81 per cent. of the state prisoners on
parole to the Prison Association made
good" while on parole.
The association carries on relief
work with families of prisoners, and
provides special dinners on Thanksgiv-
ing and ChriLtmas. During the year
a special prison visitor vas appointed,
supplementing the prison visiting of
several other members of the staff.
The association also has maintained
two probation officers in the Court Of
General Sessions, who investigated 500
cases and had on probation during
i912-1913, 232 persons.
Affiliated with the association is the
Jail Library Committee, with Miss E.
II. Davidson as chairman, which has
placed libraries in twenty county jails.
Comparing 1918 with 1910, the an
nual current receipts of the association
have increased from Si7,922 to
s254O7. The Endowment Fund has in
creased since 1910 from S9,lOS to
S74,553.
The officers of the association are:
Eugene Smith, president; John Seely
Ward. treasurer; Decatur NJ. Sawyer,
secretary; o. +. Lewis, general secre-
tary. Vice presidents: Rt. Rev. David
II. Greer, Felix Adler, Robert w. de
Forest, Eugene A. Philbin, Jacob II.
Schiff, Thomas Mott Osborne. -.
The executive committee includes
w. w. Battershall, B. Ogden Chisolm,
J. FenimOre Cooper, Austin Flint, NJ.
D.. Cornelius b. Gold, William II. Graf
wick, Henry G.. Gray, Henry Z. Greg
ory, Alexander u. HSd6en, Edwin o..
Hotter, Richard NJ. Hurd, John w.
Hutchinson, George W. Kirchwey, Ed
ward B. Merrill. Frank D. Pavey, Dean
Sage, George G.. Shelton, NJ. d., Gino
G, Speranza, Evert Jansen Wendell,
Mornay Williams and James Wood.