Milford chronicle., 1917-01-26
DOVER JAIL and A JAIL FARM

UA a AEAl4aA heAbAN RANAA VI vi n 4AOS o.
Z. Kirby, with W. +. MalOney, as a
very efficient deputy sheriff, has been
in charge of the Dover Jail His two
years of Office have been generally
well known because of his interest in
the prisoners, but the very fact that
there have been so many improve
ments directly within the Jail has
blinded some of us to the greater inn
pOrtance-the real end of Mr.. Kir
by's experiment in working with the
prisoners. 1t has been the work of
a refOrmer, a student of human nature
and at the same time that of a keen
business man looking out for the ul-
innate good of the State.
When Mr. Kirby took charge of the
jail it was considered necessary to
shut the prisoners in a stone building
very poorly lighted and ventilated,
and barely fitted with the necessities
for existence. wasting a splendid
amount of energy and making the
taxpayers support them in this vicious
idIeness. Kent also has had the ad-
ditional expense of $4,000 for the pris
oners sentenced to New Castle Work
house during the two years where,
under a supervised system of work.
they not only prove to be self-support-
ing, but even earn an income for that
county. Mr.. Kirby's experiment has
proved without doubt that it is posi-
bic to have the jails of the two lower
counties self-suppOrting to the joint
good of the counties and the prisoners.
The first question that naturally aris-
es is, But can these men be trusted
to work without bars or guards?" To
this, the experience of the past two
years gives an emphatic yes" Send
ing out as many as twenty-one men in
a day, some of whom have gone as far
as twenty-four miles to work for the
farmers of Kent County, the jail lost
but one man in the two years. That
men of all grades, in all conditions,
can be trusted under an honor system
stands today as a well proven fact.
And the accompanying fact there
must be the right kind of man at the
head to make it a success does not
speak in the least against the honor
system, but, on the other hand. en-
phasizes the necessity for appointing
wardens and sheriffs fitted by nature
and trained by experience for this
work. The prison official should be
a leader of the finest type, and should
hold his Office because of a peculiar
fitness for this work-not because of
DOlitical favor. Mr.. Kirby, asked for
the qualities necessary in a successful
sheriff, answered from the depth of
his exDerience: He should be man
of great forebearance, with a diligent
kindness, a forgiving spirit, with
much firmness of decision and with
the faculty of melting the offender to
believe that his or her presence in the
world should count for something in
the interest of public good toward
which all persons, however faulty, can
contribute.
His influence should be positive and
strong. both to guide the men and to
counteract opposing forces from the
outside. During the two years Mr..
Kirby attributes the loss of the one
man, and also any trouble he may
have had with the others, to hostile
interference from the outside, where
by the men were supplied with whis-
kew and persuaded to work against
the plans of the sheriff The women
went out to work in the homes of
Dover. and needed just the same
amount OL DdLlEAAGC anu NeNNN NAAe@e S--N
negro servant does evereywhere-no
more and no less. Both men and wo-
men have been good workers OF value
to the county. Besides TINS, they
have lived a healthy, normal LIE, ana
had a training that cannot help but
make them more fit for outside life
than they could have been under
system of idleness in conditions harm
ful alike to health and morality.
Beginning carefully and thoroughly
in 1915, and sending out only those of
whom he was the more certain, Mr..
Kirby reports their wages for that
wear to be S274 40. The next year,
1916. he tried it more boldly, and the
men earned $2,3S1.94. That Della
ware has been blind to this opportun-
ity is shown by the facts that there
is no legislation providing for such
earnings. and Mr.. Kirby had to obtain
a concession from the court in order
to supply this lack. He speaks very
highly of the broad-minded interest
and encouragement given by the court
and gives to their support the credit
of enabling him to test his ideas. 1t
was a personal expense to him, since
more hearty food was required by the
workers than for those in idleness,
and it entailed much care and trouble.
since extra work and supervision was
needed to start these men off regular
ly in the mornings. But it was en-
tirely successful, and the possibility
of a self-supporting system has been
plainly proved.
Now how can the county handle
these men to better advantage than in
the old Jail, bring a helpful influence
more constantly in their lives, keep
them as much as possible from hostile
outside influence, and finally make
the system profitable? One answer is
a Jail farm, where the men may be
employed and trained. If Kent can
provide properly for her long term
prisoners there is approximately $14,
600 now paid to New Castle every two
years that can be used in paying for
such a farm. A present appropria-
tion to make possible a self-support-
ing system will not only effect this
saving for all future years, but will
,T- 80 unnnnVf Of the short