The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-01-15
THE PRISON
OF THE FUTURE
The Duluth News Tribune EditoriaIIy Com
ments at Length upon the Present Sys-
tenn of Incarceration and Favors a
Radical but Common Sense Change.
PEOPLE WANT REFORM

PEOPLE WANT REFORM
The following from the Duluth
News-Tribune is in keeping with
the editorial we printed from the
Herald of that city last week.
What is to be the form of the
grea, penal institutions of the fu-
ture, the states prison, or the peni-
Tertiary? Will it be great hotel?
Will it he an aggregate of indus
trial plants planned like a city sub
urb? Will it be the employing
center for men who work at dis
tance from it? Will it be a huge
farm with all its allied industries?
That it will take on something of
the nature of one or all of these
seems probable; that it will be radi-
cally changed from its present form
is a growing certainty. The man.
moth prison, forbidding in aspect, a
huge pile of masonry with only
bolted and barred openings, where
the man on entering, drops outside
all his remaining manhood, hope
and aspirations, seems to be doomed
to follow the dungeon of medieval
days.
What is coming is best indicated
by what is here. The Nebraska
state prison began the honor sys-
tenn a year ago. As soon as the in
mates were classified as to reliablli-
ty the most trustworthy were per-
mltted to take jobs on farms; some
OF these were away for two or three
weeks at a time. Others worked
for building contractors in Lincoln;
others worked at common labor out-
side the walls.
Every one of these returned with
his wages, which were turned over
to the warden to be kept until his
term expired. Not a guard was
sent out with these men, and none
had to go for any of them. Every
inmate who showed his fitness was
given this opportunity.
The result is that the need of
other punishment than the denial of
this privilege has nearly disap-
peared, and the more cruel forms
have been entirely abolished. Much
of the former troubles were traced
to dope" smuggled to the prison
ers by prison employees. Seventy
five were found addicted to the
drug and 35 guards were dis
charged as implicated in the traffic.
In dozen other states squads of
men have been sent out from prison
to do road work and live in camp.
or have worked on prison farms
with little or no other restraint tEan
the presence of superintendents and
foremen. The attempts to escape
have been very small percentage.
This method of handling the So
called criminal class is not only ben
eficial to the men physically and
morally. maintaining and cultivating
their manhood, but it has lessened
the prejudice Of those outside to
this class of labor. AS a result,
when their terms end, they more
readily get work and are made to
feel minimum of suspicion. They
get their fair chance to make good.
This new method of handling the
men IN prisons must result in de-
cided changes in prison construc-
tion. 1t is everywhere bringing the
big farm and diversified industries.
Improvements and changes are be-
ing made to the buildings by the
prisoners; there is lessening Of the
number of guards; there is less
display of force, fewer
rifles, and great walls are proving
useless. ks'i ' ''''.'''
There is no more significant social
change than this, 1t is, a realization
that conviction Of crime alone does
not change men; this comes by what
happens after conviction.