New-York tribune., 1922-02-27
Lawes Denies
Any Coddling
At Sing Sing 9
Contradicts Enright and Says
Prison Management Isn't
as Easy Job as Some
Critics Seem to Believe
About |. 200 "Problcms'
Meals Cost Six Cents Each:
Upholds Honor System
and Mems 8 Welfare League

Warden Lewis f. Lawes of Sing Sing
prison, in statement issued Yesterday
contradcted assertions OF Police Com
missioner Enright OF New York City
and other critics Of his administration
that inmates of the prison were treated
with too much cniency.
Answering Commissioner Enright's
assertion that the prisoners receive too
much good food. Warden Lawes in his
statement shows that the menu is of a
quality that costs but 6 cents a meal
for each prisoner. The statement adds .
There has been much criticism late
ly of the whole system of criminal pun
ishmcnts. Some Of this criticism has
seemed narrow and empty There is no
danger however, III any sort Of criti-
cism
The question has been raised whether
Sing Sing prison is giving maximum
service to the state; whether it is an
efficient business institutions also
whether its discipline is stern enough
Normal Quota l.l50 to 1000
Eve receive at Sing Sing all the
male felons sentenced by the courts of
this metropolitan district For the last
two years the courts have been sending
men to US at the rate of over one hun
dred month. Most Of the prisoners
are transferred to Auburn, Clinton and
Great Meadow prisons or to Dannemora
State Hospital. Our normal population
at Sing Sing is between 1,15O and 200.
"Most of the inmates are unskilled
and many unwilling to work The
sentences vary from one year to life.
with thirty-thrce last year sentenced
to pay the extreme penalty death.
The average sentence is about six
years.
The prison authorities must deal
with the failures of school and church,
Of the probation, Juvenile and rcforma-
tory institutions. To my mind there
is no such thing as single prison
problem to be settled by one general
prescription for all who come to us.
There is separate problem in
each of these men. We have
thousand different prison prob
lens at Sing Sing. 1t is easy for
the outsider to make glib generaliza-
tions about prisons. Inside we are
faced with the complexities of human
nature. I only wish the job were as
easy as some folks imagine. 1t is q
tough job, an ungrateful job. We are
doing our best at it, and believe we
are making a good showing with the
human material with which we have
TO deal.
Defends Welfare League
"Concerning the honor system, q
critic read that We had let ourselves
in for some losses by forgery. He
wrote to the Governor to tell him it
WAS all the fault of the Mutual Wei
fare League, and that this inmate or
ganization ought to be abolished Those
who know anything about the league
understand that it has nothing to do
with business or industrial affairs at
Sing Sing.
ut deals only with recreation and
with personal relief to the men in a
very limited way. Ii is great aid
to our system of discipline. We hope
not to get caught off guard again. In
mates should not be permitted to
handle cash or checks, and the state
should supply sufficient civilian help
in the office Of the comptroller. But
any one who blames the Mutual Wei
fare League for this slip does not
know anything about the league and
its functioning"