Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-03
The Legislature Should Reform
GeOrgia's Whole Penitentiary
SYSTEM

The Georgia Legislature when meets in June should take
under very serious advsement only question of abolish
ing the whipping post in Georgia penitenary system but the
further reformation Of the system along other lines
The Georgian thinks certainty the whip
ping post will be definitely and specifically outlawed this
State-both wisdom and justice demand that
This relic the discredted discarded system
gothe people desire shall
be handled like vicious animals
1t will be argued by loose thinking people that the
whipping of certain classes of convictsthe hardened
so these people will call them necessary They will say these
hardened ones" be controlled otherwise
That ancient falacy exploded often utterly
that it listened to with scant patience by enlightened prison
workers and observers Of prison conditions nowadays.
Instead of holding convict face face with the WHIP
PING POST incentive to good conduct it will be found
trial to be much successful plan hold him
to face with SUBSTANTIAL REWARD
And to this end nothing far has been found in the light
Of experience in other States work well ndeemi
nate sentence.
have and show yourselves worthy will your
surely and Enthusiastically rather than If you don't
and show yourselves worthy will beat you with strap"
will be found that the promise Of reward effective and
produces lasting results for good than does the threat
punishment
Under the old order CT things convict upon by
the authorities of the State of chattel-an
ASSET from a material standpoint
AS matter of fact convict a emphatic LIABII
ITY, and he should be treated such
Under the old lease system, the longer convict kept
in prison. and the frequently returned the more he
was worth in dollars and cents to the lessee and the State
Under such mistaken system of handling a convict in
evaby the reformation and correction hayward was
lost sight of all but entirely and became question get
ting maximum amount of labor and profit from him during
his period of incarceration THE MORE REASONS
EXCUSES THAT COULD BE FOUND FOR FURNISHING HIM
FOR MISCONDUCT THE MORE CERTAIN IT BECAME
THAT EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY NEVER WOULD REACH
HIM AND THAT THE FULL TERM OF HIS SENTENCE
MUST BE SERVED!
linda
to indetermnae termsto say convict for instance You
must serve not less than two than five years In
medately upon beginning THAT sentence would be
opened to the convict involved THE DOOR OF HOPE.
The promise of substantial good and
worthy example would be definite and precise under
merit system of daily accounting for that convict would be
possible to appeal constantly and Connuousynot only
better nature but to his material profit come TO
HIM by reason of rightly conducting himself.
The responsibility upon State preserve peace good
order among its citizens reaching and it involves
than the PUNISHMENT of persons convicted of
crime.
When State takes a criminal and makes of him.
through sensible and prison system man incapable
of future crime then rendered greater service
to the people than when merely Furnishes
ton Of the law and leaves him apt
apt as before-to commit crime again.
And So while the whipping post MUST GO in Georgia
recent horrible and dracefu stories of abuse and msapphed
authority in that direction have made the going
speedy than otherwise might have been prhaps-t not
do for the Legislature to stop there and
idea that the last shred and patch the old system no
Progressive legislation in the matter of prison and
operation must be enacted
Hereafter the idea of REFORM Georgia convict camps
must take high precedence the idea of PUNISHMENT
The sincere making of should be the primary
purpose of the convict system of Georgia
The basic idea very simple. boy does something
is not nearly much that you PUNISH him
for what he has done that you wish HE NEVER DO
WRONG AGAIN