The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-19
REPORT LAUDS
EFFICIENCY Of
PENAL SYSTEM
National Handbook Lists
Indiana's Prisons and
Reformatory.
ABLE CONTROL SHOWN
Institution at PendIeton
Rated as Probably
Without Equal.


Administration of the Indiana
state prison at Michigan City is
praised in the Handbook of Ameri-
can Prisons and Reformatories is
sued by the National Society of
Penal Information, New York, adj
vance information on which is an
nounced by William B. Cox, execu-
tive secretary Of the society
The state reformatory at Pendle-
ton is claSsed by the handbook as
one of the best institutions of it's
kind in the United States.
Regarding the Indiana prison,
the book says in part:
The plant of the institution at
Michigan City, like so many others,
has been developed over a period of
years, but it has suffered less from
this than most institutions. The
buildings are well arranged and the
institution as whole gives evidence
Of careful housekeeping. Indus
trially, the institution is facing diff
f1cult problems. 1t is unfortunate
that so large number of men have
to be used in the sewing industry;
however, work In this industry is
better than idlenesS, and until other
industries can be developed. it must
be continued.
THE manner in which this state
has met the problem of caring for
insane prisoners might well be no.
ted by other states. The hospital
for the insane adjoins the prison,
but the actual management of it is
in the hands of a doctor who is also
the prison physician.
Few Escapes Cited
There are fewer breaks in the
prison routine in this institution
than in many others, but the dis
cipline as whole appears to be in
diligently administered. The recent
change in the rules which permits
individual inmates to determine
whether they will attend church
services or not is an indication of
the spirit of the institution.
In addition to the need of addi-
tional housing facilities and new
industries the institution needs a
much fuller development of various
activities that have proved their
constructive value for individual
prisoners, such as educational and
recreational activities and some par
ticipation of the inmates in con-
Quoting the inmate community life.
The authority for the management
OF the institutions of this state is
centralized in the board of control
and the institution heads. While
the board method of control has
been given up In many states, 1t ap-
pears on the whole to have worked
unusually we'll in Indiana"
Referring to the reformatory, the
report says:
THE plant of this institution is
probably second to none in this
country today. 1t is carefully
planned and, although at least 70
per cent of it was built by inmate
labor. 1t as built rapidly and the
workmanship is good. The cost of
the institution was kept down by
this method, and the inmates we're
given valuable training. 1t is doubt
full If any of the institutions of the
country give a better example of the
use of inmate labor in construction.
Difficult Task Handled
1.-THE efficiency of the administra-
ton has been tested severity by the
building of the new plant under
difficult circumstances. Despite the
problems involved, the job was
completed successfully. The admin
istration deserves great credit for
this accomplishment. The next
tasks would appear to be the devel-
opment of additional industries hav-
ing vocational value. a fuller devel-
opment of the educational and rec
reational activities, the evolving of
a system of participation of inmates
in the handling of the activities of
the inmate community and the
building up of high morale in the
institution"
Regarding the women'S prison at
Indianapolis, the handbook says:
Indiana was the first state to
establish a separate institution for
women. This Is a forward step that
many states still have to make. The
time appears to have come when
the institution should be moved
from the heart of the city and put
out in the country where more
land will be available fer farm and
garden purposes"
The National Society Of Penal
Information has in its membership
q number of American educators,
scientists and civic workers, tnclud-
ing Charles D. Osborne, mayor of
Auburn, N Y; DR.. George w
Kirchwey, former warden of Sing
Sing prison; Franklin D. Roosevelt,
Governor Of New York; Hastings H
Hart, George Foster Peabody. Ro-
land Redmond and Watson Wash
burn, New York: DR.. Samuel A.
Eliot, Boston: william Allen White,
Kansas; DR.. David Starr Jordan,
DR.. Miriam Van Waters and FIRE.
mont Older, California; Louis N.
Robinson, director of the Pennsyl-
vania committe on penal affairs;
Newton D. Baker, Cleveland; iona
Gale, Wisconsin: John Grier Hib-
ben. president of Princeton univer-
sity. and Mrs. Harrison S. Morris,
lSt,i1al .f1y,{1