The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-14
RE COM NDS STATE FARM TO
 REPI AGE JAIL s
State Commission Very Friend " to Contract System of
 Prison Labor.
BUT DIR. GLOON.AN
 WOULD ABOLISH IT
Proposed to Use kthe Jails Merely For Offenders
 Awaiting Trial.

2 s
 Hartford. Jan. The substitution Of a state farm for county jails of the state, particularly in New Haven, Hartford and Fairfield counties. is recommended and possible changes in the method Of enaploying conVicts in he state prison at Wethersfield are discussed in the report of the convict labor commission made public today. The committee consisted of pr. John J. CIpomans or Etanferd. Edward s. Fuller. of Sufneld, and Willard B. Hodge of Roxburys and was appoint- ed by Governor Simeon F. Baldwin under direction of the general assem- 8ly, to investigate the methods of eIn- 11Ioying labor in this and other states.
 The cofnmission is divided in it's finding as to the action recommend :. cd relative to labor at the stale pris- pr. Messrs. Fuller and Hodge find hat conditions do not call for a rec standardization for 1fseontinuance of he present contract system but if the general assembly should decide 10 make change they recommend the adoption of the state account sys- tern.
 Dl CIeonan recommends that the contract system be discontinued as soon as possible and thau the state ac- count system be esta ablished.
 Regarding g county jaiIs the con1n1is- sion IS in9entire agreehnent end rec csnrnend that the present jail system Hartford. New Haven and Fairfield counties be discontinued and state farm be established for jail prisoners. he jaiis to be used merely as places uf detention for persons awaiting trial. intermediate sentences for Jail prison CTS are recommends
 The commission inspected the state prison ait Wethersield. the jails of New Haven. HartfpTd and Fairfield counties And penal institutions in Mas eaehuaetts and New York state. The c0ncenaus Of opinion, accordir c to the report, based on replies from some 90 states. was .stindeniably adverse to either the state use or state account system. 2
 The report in conclusden says that ssat the expiration of the existing cor- tracts at our state prison, the pres ent contract system may be contin- of any kind from the present scheme of administration.
 If the contract system is to be dis continued the labor may be provided under either the state use or state account a5stems; by work on the highways or in . state farm.
 We knoE what can be Ees liked by contract wi tn responsfbIe corp poTatfons which Understand Thoroughly the re- ql1ireneuts and the markets. ha labor now pursued by the co11victs in this state IS, in the case of the state prison at Wefhers1eId. providing near " so per cent of the cost of main tenance Of the prison.
 We do not consider the state use system, at the present time. to be practfcable for Connecticut as we be- 1leve the state to be too small and it's state Institutions too few to provide suff7cient work to keep the conviclz engaged in an adequate portion of their time unless resolution should be adopted making it obligatory for public schools and all Institutions re- ceivipg state aid to use prison made equipment and supplies z
 he commission dfsCusaes work on the highways for convicts. but dis misses it as not feasible under present conditions.
 Dr. Cloonan believes that the con- dftions do call for change, that the state account system should be adopt- ted as soon as possible and he so rec ommends.
 Regarding the jail system of our state. the only remedy for the condi- tions now existing in the counties Of Hartford. New Haven and Fairfield, in our judgment is the establishment of state farm and the entire dfscontln- uance of the jaiIs for tnprisonmett of offenders not subject to state pris- on sentence. the jails to be used mere 1y as places of detention for persons awaiting trial by the courts. We be- Ifexe that provision should be made for indetarminate sentences for Jail prisoners