Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1914-02-20
Real T Plisor, Re-
form In N. D.

One OF the greatest advances of raod-
ern times is along the lines of Grimm
ology and prison reform. This idea
is fast working a Transformation in the
treatment criminals in this country.
In no place are the business-like, up
to-date results of Governor Hanna's ad-
ministration more in evidence that at
the North Dakota state penitentiary.
The board Of control and Warden Tai
colt, named by Governor Hanna, are
carrying out a system that puts the
North Dakota institution to the fore
front in this movement. Under the
head of Real Prison Reform, The Re-
aector, the paper edited and published
entirely by the inmates of the North
Dakota penitentiary. says:
I'VE have heard quite a lot about
Great Meadows prison reform: now
we will give you some real and sub
stantial reforms. In North Dakota we
have grading and merit systems; the
inmates are compensated for their lab
or to the sum Of not less than 10 OF
aot more than Is cents per day, and
all over ten hours 10 known as over
time work. for which the men receive
10 cents per hour. We have known
r,en in this prison to make as much -
$50 in two months a. overtime mon-
ey. We have no i.I,son rules, only
those that are laid down by the statute
books Of the state. We have the bes.
equipped cell house in the United
States. the dining room is equipped
with tables and table cloths. and the
men walk in. take their seats and eat
their meals the came as any other civ
ilized man.
The old relic Of refusing the man N
prison the privilege Of speech 10 -
thing Of the past in this state. These
10 only one place in this prison where
man 10 not allowed to talk and shss
Is At chapel service and any man w,tk
any sek-respect will not want to tafk
there.
We have . moving picture machiH&
for entertainment purposes. We have
. baseball team in the summer montl,e
and not, only play among ourselves
but 60 outside and play with out.:3s
teams. We have been as far a. forty.
two milss away from the inssitut;os "a
play an outside team. We have life.
term man hefdins cattle. who is from
one to ten miles away from the iussii-
tuition every day ON horesbarE. We
have q life term man AZ the warden .
chauffeur. This man goes al over the
country in high power machine.
sometimes not returning until ; p. n.
in the morning. I-1:,
When . man wishes to have HE
teeth fixed, or has any kind Of sickness
that he does not care to have the p,ii-
son physician attend to. and has the
money to pay expenses. he Is sent 70
the best doctor in Bismarck for treat.
ment. Thi. is what we call prison re.
form And Tor fear that some read this
article may think that Warden ralcots
is giving the men too much privilege
we want TO state right here. that il ef
the privilege that is in the gift Of TIT
warden and board Of control we se.
ceive.
And what are the consequencesa
You never hear Of ony more assaults
upon officers BY inmates. You never
hear Of fight between an inmate ana
his fellow worker. q thing that was IN
every day occurrence not more thaa
twelve months ago. The factory !.
running fifteen hours . day, the twi.e
ie better because the men take an M
tere.t in their work. the report blanks
Of the oHicers are clear. and seldom
does . report have to Be turned IN.