Putnam patriot., 1916-02-04
FAVORABLE CONTENT
Hartford COurant Points TO Brooklyn
Jail as Model
Reflects Credit on County Commissioners
and jail Officials

of reformation WAS adopted seventy
live years ago in nearby Windham
| county at its Jail situated in the little
west of Danielson, the nearest railroad
station. Windham County Jail has
been aided in its plan of Informative in
tiuence by the cooperation of the
community. The community now re-
CARDS the prisoners as an economic
necessity and not as sauce of SUBJ
sidized labor. Under the beneficial
outdoor activities of the Jail the men
who have hitherto known no useful
occupation become useful workers
filling, caring and harvesting on the
farms in the neighborhood, and on the
large jail farm of 273 acres, In the
spring, summer and autumn seasons.
The healthful outdoor work continues
in winter, the prisoners being employ
ed In harvesting ice or supplying wood
to the community. II prisoner Is
carpenter, a builder or plumber he Is
encouraged To continue in the oeeupa-
ton through the employ ment given
hin by the jail and the community
while work is provided for the women
in the laundry or kitchen.
The spirit of cooperation revealed
In the labor relations between the conn
munily and the Jail is also character
istic of the prisoners attitute towards
the Jail. The prisoners are well sat
isiied with the treatment accorded
them and perform their work with
gooa intent without constant guarding
or close supervision. Seldom do they
take advantage of the freedom afford
ed them not only on the jail farm but
also on the farms of the vicinity. This
is illustrated by the fact that only five
prisoners escaped In 1914. Another
evidence of the good spirit Of the pri-
soners is seen in the large voluntary
Attendance at the chapel
Aside from the physical, mental and
moral benefits received by the prison
or due TO useful and healthfnl work,
the Informative plan has proven profit
able from business Viewpoint, max
ing better equipment in The Jail una
better food for the prisoners possible.
The income, derived from the labor OF
the prisoners, which includes payment
for their services, and receipts from
| sales of the produce raised ON the
county farm, amounted To SS,9ll 20,
for the year ending September &c,
| 1914 During that year there were
confined at Windham County Jail 466
males and fifteen female prisoners.
The daily number of prisoners never
exceeding sixty. There was received
In addition to the earnings Of the pn-
for the board OF the prisoners = thirty
two cents day, per capita amnnnns.
ing to s9,2l6.77. The expandatures
amounting to only SIS ,299S5 end there
was left balance OF $2,S98.18. From
consideration OF the above figures
together with the fact that most of the
food Is produced on the county farm,
1t is estimated that the prisoners pay
two.thirds Of the cost Of their MAIN
| tenance.
The JUL, a large brick building COM
mands the entrance to the farm. The
interior OF the jail Is clean, sanitary,
we'll ventilated and lighted. AT night
each prisoner has a cell TO himself.
The cells arranged In tiers, one above
the other, having corridors ON all four
sides, are In the center OF large:Ioom.
| Adjoining this room Is an assembly
/ hall for the prisoners, and u clean,
we'll arranged dining room where am
Pile and wholesome food is served. The
| food consisting chiefly OF meats and
vegetables Is prepared by the prisoners.
All OF the prisoners were convicted
for some offense committed in Wind
ham county. Intoxication for which
there were 294 convictions and va
grancy, which was responsible for
forty Of the 4Sl imprisonments, con-
stituted the principal ofienses. On in.
| vestigation Az inmates were reported
as modsr rate drinkers and twenty-three
~ habitual incorporates. There were
| found to be $50 prisoners who could
| neither read or write. The average
length Of Imprisonment was forty five
days. The uniform ssstencs Of thirty
days beingxthe common term Of Inn
prisonment for the drunkards and va
grants. II Is well known fact that
the habitusl drunkard and vagrant
constitute the most incorrigible set Of
offenders. but at Windham there was
evident n physical and moral better
ment, due TO useful work, good food,
healthy surroundings and spiritual
guidance, in this class OF men who had
been confined for. a period of six
months OF longer.
Further reaching results could be OBJ
timed at Windham county jail IL the
indelefmInate sentence prevailed and
! II in connection with habitual drunk.
, ! ards and Migrants a minimum sem
tence Of one year were imposed. 1t -
The opinion of the warden, that II The
length OF imprisonment were limited
1 by satisfactory proof OF reformHtions
rather than by mere lapse Of time,
The prisoner, the jail, and society
. would be benefited. For ia addition
! IL rendering the jail wholly self Nsain.
tanning, there would be created 4 Sur-
| ,,ius a., ffieiant Ia give mate rial xl1fsu0ff