Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-27
STATE FARM CONDITIONS
SCORED BY INVESTIGATORS

Taking it for granted that the in
generation in the cage" of two
white prisoners said to be mentally
deranged is necessary, the judges
found that the location OF the cage
was undesirable on account of unsan-
itary surroundings, and they recon-
mended that the law be changed al
lowing prison authorities to transfer
mentally deficient and dangerous
prisoners to the state sanitarium.
Dining rooms are found to be as
clean as could be reasonably expect
ed, but the Kitchens are declared TO
be unclean and in need of screening.
1t is also recommended that an in
closed shed should be provided where
prisoners could take exercise, no
place being now available for this
purpose.
Quality of Food Bad.
Quality of the food served to pris-
oners is poor, the report states. Sub
stantially the same character of food
is served to well and sick, and Inc
biscuits especially are not fit to eat.
Addition of cooking equipment and
the providing of a greater variety of
food is strongly urged by the COM
mission.
The water supply eff it can be
dignified by that name"-is especial
| ly codemned, the judges finding that
prisoners are in actual peril from eX-
listing conditions. Immediate install
lation of modern water plant of
sufficient capacity to insure an ade-
quate supply of pure water for drink
ing, cooking and bathing purposes is
strongly recommended. The present
water supply pumped from a creeE
and shallow surface wells, is 5ermeC
muddy, obviously unwholes orle anc
subject to become infected, if not al.
ready so. This does not apply tC
drinking water, which is supplied
from a well, and which was found tc
be sufficient both in quantity anc
character.
That supply of medicines SHOULD
be kept on hand so that prisoners
shall have access to them within the
knowledge of the physician in charge
or his assistants is also recommend
ed. Except in emergencies, convicts
should not be employed as assist
ants to physicians or as dispen
sers of drugs, the report states, bu
a sufficient appropriation should bt
made to insure the, service of a higl
class chief physician and such assist
ants or internes as are found to BIZ
necessary, the latter being required
to give as much of their time as i
necessary, even if all of it, to thei1
duties.
The recommendation of the com
mission includes sweeping changes il
both the buildings and farming prop
erty. The tuberculosis camp is Sc.
verely scored and as a general prop
osition. The commission holds tina
while there must of necessity bt
some form Of humane punishment il
the handling of convicts in order t
curb the criminal classes, it is i'm
perative that the punishment in al
instances be more reasonable than II
is. There is a difference on the mat
| ter of flogging, and while all the
! judges are divided, three to two, thai
it should be abolished, they all hold
that ''the leather has not been uset
as last resort" as the rules provide
"but as practically the only resort,
but they do not charge that even thi;
was inhumanely done.
The report says:
"While all of US are agreed that il
whipping is to be recognized anc
used as a form of punishment, il
should never be resorted to for trivia
offenses and should only be used as
last resort and after all other means
to orrect Objectionable conditions anc
enforce discipline have been employ
ed and failed"
In regard to the proposition of pur.
chasing a new and better piece OF
farming land, the judges found that
while much of the farm is badly
broken and very poor and does moi
under the present and inef
cient methods of cultivation produce
a sufficient supply of food to support
itself and the prison, this fact they
find is due to the absolute lack OF
system and the absence of intensified