The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-02-04
IpLAN IS QUESTIONED HERE
Undoubtedly Money Gould Be Saved in
the Employment of the Prisoners
But the Labor Problem Would Be
Made Harder For Road Officials.

Kenosha county officials are interest
ed in an investigation which is being
conducted under the joint direction of
the national committee on prisons and
prison labor and the graduate highway
department of Columbia University.
The study will consider in detail
such matters as the most economic size
of road gang, the cost for guarding,
Supervising and maintenance, and the
approximate value of day work. 1t
will also show the possibility of in
creasing efficiency by means of the pay
ment of wages, recreation after work
hours, and the shortening of sentence
for good conduct.
Conditions in the different sections
pcf the, country are to be dealt with,
especially as to the effect of weather
conditions and the cost of stock.
Idlerhess prevails in many county in
stitutioms, while in others the work is
not of value either to the prisoners or
to theecounty. In kalamazoo county,
Mich, and other counties where road
work has been tried, even under ex-
detrimental conditions, it has been
found eminently successful. In fact
the knowledge that jail sentence will
mean hard work on the roads has a
tendency to decrease the number of
commitments, Migrants keeping away
from counties where they will be sub
elected to work of this character.
Already much valuable material has
been gathered, and by the time the
study is completed information will be
at the disposal of all counties under
taking convict road work, which will
enable them to conduct it in a scienti-
tic manner. The national committee on
prisons and prison labor hopes in this
way to lessen the evils of the county
Jail and to benefit both the county
and the counties through the impetus
which will be given to the building
sof good9roads.
Since the enactment Of the highway
Flaw in Wisconsin attempts have been
Enade aby various counties to use their
spetty offenders in the construction of
broads, but the state board of control
has frowned on the matter for the rea-
son thatdn its opinion the statutes pro
fhibit theause Of such labor for the pur-
pose under consideration. However, it
is thought that the present legislature
may pass law along the lines sug-
Eges ted, and then such counties as care
ito may compel their petty offenders to
Swork outatheir sentence on the road.
Highway officials of Kenosha county
were not ready to go on record on the
Question of employing prison or jail la
Flor today. They wanted time to con.
fsider the proposition, Kenosha has 50
few prisoners to serve time in Jail that
bit would be impossible for Sheriff
Andy" to supply all the men needed
flor the work on the roads and there
emightfbe serious complications in mix
ling up prisoners and others. The DO
Mce, officials of the city feel that the
assurance that these men could be put
no work1on the roads and forced to do
real work to pay fines would have the
resultofscutting petty crimes to mini.
mum IN Kenosha. They believe that
after the first few days of road work
She chronic prisoners ct the county iail
would disappear and that there would
be no longer necessity for a considera.
fion7 of the problem.