, 1924-02-07
PRISON REFORM

In various na"ers articles appear from time to time with
s Sdties Sss to e5 p4isq tn F 3st effect F ihst The is J in 5ns i nr t de Wy1%j" e.
Sweettwater viii ask an investigation 5i of the State Prison in
Be it so. if we are to believe the reports, conditions have made
our institution Wa tut tnt to fr resemble the tt Spanish nSao ln thn shh1in j. made =
quainted with the facts, there will be a giant intolerance to con
" "The wa as Of 5fe the st transg rss rn is P Rapd?. '0 Many of N us wSo h nas
played the fool in early or later life have not We are &c conscious i
that it is so For every evil doer there is a proper purgative
Without reading a the DEVASTATING conduct Of criminals. Why not
stop raising them? No one needs to tell US that excessive punish
an old law which reads, Forty stripes save one lest thy brother
history in order to realize inhuman treatment of criminals. 1t
Prison reform is a return from the brutality of the past
20 pur ss He% effest' Pri1ons haSe been en P transfor@ed FROM f ms h eiHpt to
hospitals; into places where honest industry and sef-respect
forth nobly to take their part in the work of the world.
prc Seci thy 'si however, So open per rt to this to e Sin hsnni on Of It tiv Ex-
Such an attitude; such a spirit has wrousht untold harm. "To
'"' Are we wrong in 81 saying that penalties are a necessity? Re
formatory treatment is an essential element of every good prison
be resorted to in order to check or restrain habits of crime; and
and adequate relation to the nature of the offence, the character
of the offender, and the general sense of public Justice as be-
less Objectionable form of punishment which would restrain the
crimeni he would p1 merit public p nna gratitude atheSi an I lay our url penal code de
less open to even a suspicion of inhumanity:
are we to do with them? Many sanguine persons are too ready
to %s assume c"m in t%s w sGnne mdSics tha tn a ajnd of rtree viii dipra AFTER tre the
nature and habits of the hardened convict. Such treatment will
do nothing of the sort. There are in every prison; and there
are men in the prison in Rawlins who revell in vice and crime.
1t is also true that prisons may become pestlential schools of
iniquity; that brutality is perpetrated upon inmates, but many
of our prisons are becoming in a true sense of the term, Ike
formatory." =.
1t is safe to say, that our institution here is "Reformatory.'
1t is also well for many to remember that there are ingrates
within it's walls. A number will reject a square deal when one is
offered them. They do not know a principal when they see it.
Their gratitude takes the form of abuse and absolute falsehood.
1t is wisdom, sometimes, to be cruel, rather than kind. The
writer of this article has had ample opportunity to study con-
ditions. He has talked for hours with the men. He has listened
to their stories. The strange fact is that in all cases, he was
told their treatment was of the best, and if any privilege was
taken from them they were to blame.
There are many prisoners who are responsive, there are
others who are sodden. There is no avenue of appeal. There
are men who cannot be trusted to mingle freely with other
prisoners. 1t is the duty and privilege of the citizens OF this
State to visit their institution. 1t is their duty to investigated
the work being done there, and the treatment of the prisoners
within its walls. Such visitors and Investigators will be wei
coined by the Warden, and by those under his authority.