Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-15
Edward w. Wheeler
Criticizes Ihornaston
system at Conference

FINAL action is taken. Under our pres
mt procedure hearings before the Gov
crnor and Council on such applications
re usually ex parte. The applicant is
,epresented by his attorney. relatives
md friends and everything favorable
to his cause is presented. But the un-
favora bic facts and circumstances are
not always disclosed and pardon may
be granted upon incomplete or mis-
leading evidence. Moreover, inmates OF
the prison can frequently be found who
have no means to employ counsel or
relatives or friends to assist them, but
who are proper subjects for executive
clemency. The commission could
bring all such cases to the attention OF
the Governor anG Council, thus placing
all prisoners upon an equal footing in
this respect.
While beginning has been made in
the last few years in the education OF
the prisoners. the methods are crude
and the results imperfect. The pro-
posed commission should establish
prison school in charge of a competent
teacher and which should be attended
during certain hours by all the inmates
who can profit by such instruction.
Receiving Station.
"A receiving station should be es
tablished in connection with the pris-
on where a. thorough physical and
physchopathic examination of each
prisoner should be made This can be
done at regular intervals each month
by specialists sent for that purpose
from the state hospitals at Augusta
and Bangor and prisoners might be
sent to these hospitals for further OBJ
seryation if a more extended examina-
ton seemed advisable. BY this means
/ the mental and physical traits and
characteristics of each individual could
be ascertained and taken in connection
with his previous record. q scientific
and systematic classification of pris-
oners could be accomplished. Such an
examination would disclose the weak
minded. the degenerate, the sexual per-
vert and other abnormal conditions of
mind. This would not only be of great
! benefit IN the grouping, education and
treatment of prisoners in the inStitu-
ton. but would also afford a valuable
guide TO the prison commission in pass
/ ing upon applications for parole.
Employing Prisoners.
J
of the prisoners new opportunities for
employment must be provided. The ex-
pertinent in road building by the in
mates Of the county Jail in Cumher-
land county and by convicts in the
; penitentiarias of other states has shown
that prison la Dor in highway construc-
! tion by selected classes can be made
/ highly printable to the State and bene-
4 81 fn no
Such employment will cause no dis
turbance to established industries in
the State, will assist in the extension
of good roads and enlarge the useful
ness Of the prisoner during his period
OF confinement. This can be accom-
pished by arrangement between the
prison commission and the State High
way Department and should be author
lied by law. The warden with the
approval of the prison commission
could determine what men could safe
ly and advantageously be assigned to
this service.
Additional land adjacent to the pris-
on should be purchased and inmates
employed in raising produce for the
prison and other state institutions
lie prison shops are necessary to fit
the men for useful and profitable en-
pigment after their term of confine-
mont is ended and all of the men
should work in these shops during the
winter months. AS result of this
training the men are rendered able to
support themselves as harness makers,
blacksriths, wood workers. carriage
painters, etc.
! II has often been suggested that the
prison should produce articles needed
by other state institutions, but l am
convinced that such institutions could
not use any manufactured articles in
such quantities as to justify the en-
ployinent of prison labor upon them.
II has seemed to me, however, that
school desks might be profitably and
successfully manufactured for the pub
Tic schools as Maine produces the wood
used in their construction and the pris-
on already has spacious and we'll
equipped shops for wood working and
vanishing.
Parole Justified by rs Per Cent.
Our experience under the law passed
in 1913 shows that IS per cent of these
to whom paroles have been granted
have made good and have justified the
clemency extended, while % per cent.
have violated the conditions of their
parole