The Washington times., 1915-02-20
HALF MILLION N
PRISON EVERY YEAR
Arizona Parole Clerk Is Trying
to Have Restrictions on
Their Mail Removed.

NEW YORK. Feb. 2o.-Five hundred
thousand persons. 1t is estimated. pass
through American prisons every year:
| this is the statement Of J. J. Sanders.
parole clerk Of the Arizona State prison.
in pamphlet. entitled Prisoners
Mall which is being widely circulated
The object of the pamphlet Is to aid
in bringing the prison and other au-
| thorities of the various States to what
Mr.. Sanders considers a more enlight-
ened sentiment and practice regarding
| the right to write and receive letters.
| and to receive and read newspapers
Very much in earnest In this matter.
Is shown by the following paragraphs
| from his pamphlet:
"Everything that encourages thought
and forces in man ~ become active.
in a constructive way. should be en-
played in schools. prisons. and all in
dustrial enterprises. The prison should
be school where the humane are
ally. to make of them bigger and bet
ter beings. and 1t should not be a place
where the state exploits its detectives
| for financial gain. AS we'll. require tho
government that fails 20 do this is on
| its way to take its place among the
dead empires of the past.
The privilege of writing and receiv-
ing letters is greatly restricted in the
great majority Of American state pris-
ons A few OF the States allow free
and unrestricted mail privileges. No
Prison riots occur in the States that
grant The inmates the privilege OF writ
ing as many letters as they desire to
their friends and relatives. The reason
is simple. for their minds are filled with
wholesome and elevating thoughts.
Nothing will make a person more mo-
rose and sullen than to be denied the
God-given liberty OF communicate
] est friends. The wonder to me is that
| there are not more riots in the penal
| institutions denying the inmates the
privilege of communication with their
self In the place Of the one who is de-
MED the right TO write and receive let
,ers' masazines, and newspapers In
be a At subjeC$ for the alienists, vet
State governments expect to make per-
| sons fit for the day Of liberty by these
insane and abominable restrictions. Let
there be light, vas the greatest thought
for the powers that be in American
prisons to let there be light within pris-
on walls
Unlimited In Arizona.
In the Arizona State prison. where
Mr. Sanders is parole clerk, inmates are
allowed an unlimited daily mail priv
ilege. All the leading magazines and
| periodicals.. and several Of the leading
daily newspapers are subscribed for by
| the State. These are turned into the
| library for use of all the prisoners.
New York State has recently removed
| mail restrictions as to prisoners. These
| regulations limited the number of letters
| a prisoner could write. In Ohio inmates
| are divided into four grades. The men
| in the first and second grades ais allow
| ed to write three letters a month. and
receive all letters sent to them. They
| are allowed the current magazines, daily
papers and periodicals.. The men in the
| in the first and sccod grades are allow
| to write any letters or receive any.
Neither are they allowed the daily
papers. current magazines or periodicals.
In the Virginia State prison the men are
months and to receive all letters sent
them They are not allowed to read
| newspapers of any description. but are
allowed the current magazines and per-
| iodicals.
Mr.. Sanders pamphlet has many such
crisp and pointed paragraphs as this
The object Of putting Il man In prison
| is two-fold: First to protect society, and
second, to make the convict better
man. And certainly. breaking off all
communications with the outside world
| does not make for human evolution"