Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-05
~, nv NN X. ALDEN,
il'hmond. Va. March 4. 1922.
believe. In s,n,e-u.e sy,,em

M.
To III, Editor OF The Times-Disn,,cb
SIT Nuring the past two wears a
h'ark ca Improvement has taken place
III 'he sndilnG Of the prison oues-
'ioh. al least IN some OF our prisons
and particularly In the Northern
states. hut a ErSitt deaf OF further I'M.
prorencnt is needed TO bring ,bis
work, which is SO important to tho
iubjic welfare. into real good shan.
we must not expect ideal condition..
After all. prisoners arc failures Some
OF 'hcm might be turned into good
'''""cfA or the community. All OF
'"eH VINO are able To work should add
To The economic welfare. and thew
would be better for being ken, en-
ployed. Take. for instance, a hos
rstal which takes care Of say son p,.
'!chts. II cannot be expected that even
the best physicians and surgeons can
cure all o! them and get them NIL
back to work. II they cure pcr.
ccntaSc and improve the condition OF
the res, IL is all that can be cx
pcctod.
cannot place too much emphasis
ON the Importance OF finding the
right Kind of men who would make
Eood wardcns and keepers. and by cd
"cation and training fit them for po-
sitinns in this particular line. We
ought 10 raise tho standard OF The
positions OF warden and keepcr by
making them positions of high honor
with fair remuneration. the same as
me office OF judge. and those who do
tho work we'll should have a high and
honorcd position In society.
The National Committee on
Prisons and Prison Labor. which
represent. Is not committed t. extreme
len!cncy. 1t gives due consideration 10
cause Of the deterrent effect strict
disciplinary methods are necessary.
but unless VIC have high grade OF
official and good example Is set by
the prison management, the deterrent
effect is entirely lost. because the
most dangerous criminals know that
~ influence. either of money or Moi
ties. they can escape the punishment.
while the weaker ones. who are
usually the least guilty. suffer with
out 1t acting as deterrent.
The examination and classification
OF prisoners, both as to their mental
and physical condition. is of course
necessary before determining how
they should lie treated. The scgrcsa-
tion Of the feeble minded and those
who are otherwise united to do reg
I.
The National Committee on Prisons
and Prison Labor Is strongly against
the exploitation OF the prisoner by
contract labor for private profltcer-
ing.
Prisoners should get remuneratIon
for their labor to encourage them TO
do good work and strive for greater
efficiency. Such remuneration should
hn used In part for their maintenance.
part towards the support of their
families and the remainder for them
selves after their discharge.
In order not To compete with ont
side free labor. we believe In tho So
called State use systcm-that IL, In
using the goods produced hy the labor
Of prisoners for the needs OF the va
rious institutions maintained by the
city or state. The state use system
Is now n law i'm New York State. Tho
State and city use about S25.00O.00
worth of the kind OF goods that pris-
oners can produce. whilo-the product
Of the prisoners In the State OF New
York amounts TO only about $1,000
600 at present. SO II Is obvious that
state to use all the goods that can hc
produced by tho labor OF its prison in
mates. In order to obtain reasonably
good results and to make this plan ef-
fective thcSeom moditics used by tho
city and state should be standard
lied.
cannot dwell, too strongly on the
fact that to dismiss the subject as