Milford chronicle., 1917-08-10

Experiment Of Employing conViets OF
Highways Has Proved a Success II
Many States Both as Regards Work
Done and For Moral Effect Upon
Prisoners.
A few years ago the use Of convict
labor for road building was confined
almost exclusively to a few Of the
southern states where, 1t is safe to say,
the use Of this labor was planned with
the intention Of securing highway i'm
prOvements at little or no more cost
than was necessary for the housing and
feeding Of the prisoners in the prisons,
says George D. Steele in the Engineer
ing Record. In these early cases the
gang system was generally used, the
men working In stripes, usually in
chains and under guards who were
heavily armed. But state after state
has taken up the utilization Of convict
labor In recent years, until 1t is now
common in all sections of the country.
With the growth Of the use Of this class
Of labor conditions from the prisoners
standpOints have improved materially,
though there is still room for much
more improvement.
In 1916 an experimental camp was
established in Fulton county, Ca, where
investigations and studies were carried
out relative to convict labor. The av.
erage population Of the camp since II |
was established, Jan. 10, 1916, has been
forty men cOnvicts per day. With but
three or four exceptions these have
been negro misdemeanor prisoners,
whose sentences average between seven
and eight months and who we're secur-
ed from the Fulton county prison. The
officials Of the camp consist Of a deputy
warden, two fOremen, one camp clerk
and one night watchman, whose only
duties so far have been to protect the
The men are all employ
ed under the honor system, no armed
guards being permitted at this camp.
All the prisoners are clothed in neat
brown suits marked with the prisoners
number. There have been no escapes
Or attempts at escape up to the first Of
his year although about 100 different ;
men have been Quartered at the camp ,
n the year Of its operation. Only three
II these have been sent back to the a
Prison or to the chain camps, the only
Methods OF disciplining that are used;
wO Of these were returned for fighting T
md the third for the general dissatis- |
action which he gave and caused.
Prisoners themselves are in favor Of n
working upon the roads. says the ma B
lonal committee on prisons and prison o
lbor and quotes in support Of this as g
ertiOn from the Star-Bulletin, the or s.
an Of New York state prisoners, as t
OllOws: g
Excellent results were gained dur
lg the year 1916 in road work and S,
pom the conservation at Comstock 81
he road gang operating from Sing "
Ing repaired many OF the bad spots b.
! roads Of Westchester and about the n
riSOn. This work is expected to con- :.
nue. until there will be well over $50 q;
mates scattered throughout the coun- az
y as soon as the weather clears. The SC
ntative list Of the men who are to fr
: intrusted with this honor has al
ady been made 1t will be the means
bringing back strength and energy,
J well as good health, to all the In M
ates working upon the outside. 81
mo man Of all the inmates who OF
ent outside last year had a word Of W.
ult to find with his treatment. All br
e anxious to join these camps again. E,
le freedom of movement and the ex. ye
else shorten the time yet to do in ha
wonderful manner. Many states II
We found road work to be the an pr
ver to the prison problem. Colorado Sa SIl
d California have rebuilt the better FRI
rtion of their roads with prison la. ST
r, and, besides feeding the inmates be-
th an extra supply Of food, it has col
10 led to lessening of time through the
DIVISIONS made by the farsighted leg. wv wv
atOrs" I pu
val