Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-27
The "Prison Type" That
is MADE BY Cruel Systems

THE statute Of the State OF New York states IN 60
many words that food supplied prisoners shall be
OF wholesome but inferior quality For each man in
PRISON inc state allows exactly 1874 cents worth of
food per day
Tins is not sentimentalism do not for a mo-
ment lose sight of the wickedncss folly of which
prisoners have been guilty. With the execution Of
very few innocent men, they fully deserve the exile
from society to which they have been condemned
What wish to emphasize is the existence Of the
criminals inherent essential humanity The bias
phemous theory OF the irreclainabe criminal fore
oluained 10 lie OF wickcdness and social perverson
tested. '
For while there is no such thing as a erImina,
type. there is prison type'-the more shame to us
who are responsible for it, Forth from our penal in
situations year after year have come large numbers
of men broken in health and spirit vbite1aced
with the prison paor,' husky in voce-hoarse from
nsuse with restless, shifty and the midty of
oea'en ooes But these creatures whom we
ourselves have fashioned the finished product of our
prison 1h system These arc what have for
Inc unions or dollars wasted the thousands of
1l'es worse than wasted because of our denial OF
common sense and humanity
society has 4 perfect right to formulate TIA code
vi Jaws determining what shall constitute legal
inmates OF our prisons not criminals IN the
, ieti'hs winch we read into the term. would not
nave you Jump to the conclusion that believe them
altogether admirable There is no more reason 70 ha
sen,imenta than to be callous Let us simply ex
ercIse common sense in the matter. These men have
more 'han their share OF the weaknesses fo]lies ana
niceS OF humanity but they by no means lacking
LII "a, - heither physical nor mental; he IS spirit
nally H. socially ILL., III or selfshness-of a necnar
,,n VI CIVIC eBotlSn, which causes him to be in.
uIneicn, 'o the social rights Of other men The
Prop e hospital for him is the prison
'ut II inns man is socially i'll and needc nrison
.ie''nlcn'' what is the best method More than 60
Per cent OF the population Of the State prisons in
tsSm tolh to-day are regular prison vsitants They
.o'ie p"ch tiine after time. after only few short
MeeAs Oh months of freedom. Obviously the method
oeue IS not acting as cure; patients have
e.Ume rnrohic charges. Obviously, bad food ner
psuai slichce solitude, all the other refnemens of
cluey win which we treat these socially IN are
nol goou medicine How could they be? They are
executed he
ness OF stupidity $3.50 ~ oioos''
:, ~ IS OFTEN said, We send criminals TO nrson %
So. t' s ana this assumption is then made the
.ht Va ihuch argument and criticism to the effect
t; We should not endeavor TO ameiorate the condi
eon a vi men In prison. What is meant by saving we
So .h to prison to be punished? Do we
na !. tiat after we get to prison we shall pro.
80 70 torture them, condemning them to the ruin
VI neai!i IN body, mind and soul? Whether we have
I' ~ or not, such has certainly been the nrocess
eo nn On III our prisons up to the present time
ouoh Is not really our intent. We do NOT send
ihei w pi'son 10 be punished; we punish mon nv
aeiuins thcm to prison. The Imprisonment is tho
punisnmeht and the direst punishment that can he
meted out to any man '"' S"" w
do You know how a man feea ,vho, :. ,
o l'u , OF this kind? one of the Auburn nr;s
u eis d mira tcrmer, once asked me- IlI tel, Won
, leei a' me end OF my first term I tust hated
TO get even ~ a"c up my mind
in'pFiSonment-thc denial Of individual freedom