The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-22

c''' "atutlt lFlpI1dS
Mott Osbornes management of Sing
sing prison and the work OF the pris-
ohers Mutual Welfare League are in
uorsed In n report signed by all the
members Of the State Prison Commis.
SION made public Tonight after a long
conference to-day with Gov. Whit
man. There Is not a line In the repor,
10 snow that Sing Sing IL pest ridden
as intimated by one Of the prisoners.
All the buildings OF the institution were
found in "~cicanly condition. says the
report.
Whatever may be the individual
viewpoint toward prison discipline. every
fairmindcd person who investigates
conditions In Sing Sing must admit that
an extraordinary experiment Is going
on. SO far as IT has gone. while there
may be special conditions open to crit
icism which should be corrected and
while mistakes may have been made,
which Is not surprising in 80 difficult
an Undertaking. the main results and
achievements are constructive and lrO-
gressive. For this substantial krogrSss
and for a real personal interest ia the
prisoners and the esprit de corps OF the
institution Warden Osborne Is to be
commended"
school Attendance on.
Practically the only criticism follow
ing Warden Usborne's advent to Sing
Sing Is hat the attendance at the prison
school has fallen from 400 to 1875. The
executive committee of the Mutual Vel
fare League says the management of
the school Is responsible for this falling
Z OF. Attendance Ia voluntary.
The reasons given by the league were
not convincing says the commission.
Attendance at school OF all unable to
read and write should be made COM
pulsory. The school at Sing Sing should
be ~reorganized without delay.
"The cell hall. grim and unfit. surviv-
ing type OF an ancient order of prison
construction. still stands as a disgrace
and a ~reproach to the citizens OF the
State and a menace to the health OF
prisoners confined two in a cell and in
the damp W tier
Warden Osborne wins in his contention
with state Superintendent OF Prisons
John Il. Riley in his desire to use zoe
cots In the wagon shop.
The prisoners now doubled up and
those confined In the damp lower tier OF
the cell block should be removed to tine
dormitory.' says the commission.
AS to the result of Warden Osborne's
innovations In prison administration the
report says:
The prison officials and officers OF thJ
Mutual Welfare League Claim that there
is less vice. drugs and contraband in the
prison than under the older system
The good physical appearance OF the
prisoners and the outdoor exercise
should naturally tend to reduce abnor.
} mai desires and sustain the Claims vi
the league and prison officials.
Normally stimulated.
THE new methods of treatment al
SIM Sing prison seem TO stimulate q
normal developInent. Convicts are ofter
detectives and generally abnormal. Any
plan OF treatment by which they can b:
reached subjectively and the change for
the better come from within should b.
welcomed. Reasonable recreations. &c.
tuai responsibilities. educational train
ing and decent sanitary surroundings
within correctional institutions. accom-
panied by simple living and hard labor
ought 10 contribute 10 substantial prison
reform"
Further discussing affairs at Sing Sins
from the time Warden Osborne took
hold. the report continues:
p The Osborne plan should not be con-
/ fused with the honor system Ths
, honor system OF ent:usting selected
prisoners IN any prison with greater lib
> erty and responsibility or in n separate
, .nonor prison Of selected prisoners mas
! been successfully worked out for many
years. The Osborne method OF treat
!, ment IL applied to all prisoners ire
> spectiye of their previous record and
character and is essentially subjective In
g. the development OF government and self
control. The instrument through which
he has un 1ertaken to secure these re.
suits is an organization OF the prisoners
designated as the Mutual Welfare
&. League.
Does Not Aztec shops.
"In view OF the unusual powers eNer
cised BY such an organization OF prison
, ere In a penal institution. the auestio.
naturally arises, Does the delegation "
these administrative powers to the Dris
oner impair the efficiency OF the shop
and endanger the discipline Of ;h'
prison.
IAN effort was made to fnd on. thu
! exact situation. Every foreman wat
( questioned and stated that he was Ell
preme in the shop and that the Mutua
" elfare League was not granted. N
did II attempt to exercise. any inter
ference with the management OF tn
shops and that, in fact. members OF IN,
league filed charges of ine'iciency anC
laziness against prisoners who were no
doing rood work. and otherwise assisted
in me development OF the industries.
The discipline OF the prison wa
|. harder to diagnose. Formerly. an armed
, guard was in every shop. Guards witt
, clubs stood over the prisoners in thu
mess hall during their meals. Guari'
> were everywhere about the prison exac;
ing authority and imprcssing their pow
, er on the prisoners. Now, the guards
instead OF remaining all the time In TIT
shops patrol them regularly. The guard
have been withdrawn from the mess ha'
:. and stand as much as possible in tn
: background and leave the details or con
, troll to the officers OF the Mutual Wei
fare League. Many OF the guards ex
pressed approval of the new order, Others
, had reservations and some expressed
I ~uisapproval.
1 1T should, however, be borne In mint
| that all the machinery OF the older sys
tens remains in the prison. The warde'
! holds the power in reserve to override
, the Judgments OF the judiciary board n
any time. and does occasionally. A
many qua rds AS formerly are on hand
ready To act II occasion arises. Tn
. armed forces OF discipline and protection
, constitute "A wall. or crust, within which
the Mutual Welfare League is given a
much freedom as can safely be delegated
to II I'm the discretion OF the warden
In case OF the abuse OF that power or o
any INSTRUMENTATION within the prison