The Washington times., 1924-01-02
AR {
MADE USEFUL
CITIZENS
''stateviIIe." New Penitentiary
IN Illinois, Built on
Latest Lines.
BY HAROLD ID. ROBINSON.
InternntaonaI News Service.

Il. ~ ~
JOLIET, Ill, Dec. s1.-The
worlds first specially constructed
factory for the reforsing Of human
lives has begun to operate. The
plant, not yet completed ana work.
ing only ct part capacity, Is already
producing results that assure sue.
cess and high dividends to Its own.
srs, the people Of Illinois. It Is
located near Joliet and Is known as
''Etateville," or the new Illinois
Out Of an ancestry Of ancient
dungeons, medieval jails and the
careful beginning Of prison reform,
the new prison has been evolved,
A special commission searched the
world and history for ideas for
the institution, visiting practically
every important penitentiary in
America and Europe, even studying
ancient prisons In Egypt and Greece.
The commission sifted the best out,
OF the mass OF information col
lected, considered every phase Of
penal serviture from Pharaof's slave
gangs to Osborne.s Sing Sing, and
developed ideas OF its own.
Round Cell Houses.
The result IL Statewide, with its
queer round cell houses springing
UP out ofthe Illinois cornfields.
with its regenerated men going
back into Illinois society, and with
prison authorities from many parts
Of the world studying its architeo-
ture and plan Of operation.
The most revolutionary idea in
the architecture Of the new prison
r. the circular cell houses. The
cells in these have outside win.
dows--a daring departure from &C.
cepted prison design. The healthful
living conditions which are recog-
nized to be essential to the moral
and mental improvement Of inmates
are provided In this cell plan. At
the same time criminals against
whom society needs protection, are
kept securely confined.
The circular construction, which
makes every cell an outside room,
also makes this hitherto unattain.
able combination Of q pleasant cell
and secure confinement possible. 1t
permits q guard stationed In q
tower In the center OF the building
to see the entire interior Of every
call at all times. Thus prisoners
are given no opportunity to work
on their window bars unobserved,
ana a large outside window in
ever1 cell Is made safe.
Inmates Gain Privacy.
The cells are rooms designed to
give inmates privacy and seIf.re.
speot instead of being mere cages,
like cells in other penitentiartes.
The only bars are those in the
windows, the doors and cell fronts
being made OF glass. The cells arS
fully twice as large as those in the
old Joliet prison, and each cell IL
intended for use by only one pris-
oner. Each is equipped with steam
heat, a lavatory, with running hot
and cold water, q toilet, electric
light, a bod. q table. and a chair.
The sun shines directly into
every cell at least two hours a day.
Glass sections In the roof. ar
ranged according to astronomical
calculations, send the sunlight into
the cells on the northern side Of
The buildings at all seasons, while
the windows give the southern
cells their full quota Of sunshine.
The circular cell house, having
Accommodations for only 248 in
mates each, accomplish another OBJ
iect under the Illinois plan. They
permit a more perfect segregation
If the different grades of criminals
han IL possible at older institu.
lions, where frequently the entire
prison population 10 housed In one
cell block. The circular mess hail
In the center Of the nest Of eight
ell houses Is divided into eight
segments, one for each house. The
prison guards are also divided
making It possible to keep the diff
'erent grades Of convicts isolated
from each other at mess, at work
and at recreation.
"Merit System. "
Under the Progressive Merit
System" by which the prison IL ad.
ministered, prisoners advance from
one section to another as they
demonstrate trustworthine5s. The
architecture, as well as the dis
-ipline, changes az they advance,
The cell houses Of the more ad.
yanced divisions have dornitOry
accommodations for men who
thrive best under companionship
ana association. For those of the
highest grade cottages, somewhat
similar to college fraternity houses,
are provided outside the walls,
where they may demonstrate con
cluslvely their ability to enjoy
rights and liberties before being
given complete freedom.
Modern factories within the
prison walls provide q diversity Of
occupations for the inmates. Ef-
forts have been made to give con.
genial employment to every type Of
prisoner In order that the work
may assist in the regeneration.
The success of the process of re.
casting characters upon which tho
new prison il designed to operate
has already been proved. The
Progressive Merit System was
placed In operation In the old
fllinOia institutions several wears