Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-13

An exception is with prisoners who
have served five years of q long sentence
in solitary confinement, after which
they are brought into the company OF
others and a classification Is effected
whereby neurotic and tubercular pa
tients and contentious DIRECTORS are
placed in suitable sections.
"Open Air" Prison Is Tried.
Moreover, a short time ago an ex-
pertinent was begun 1.-THE open-air
prison"-the prisoners being employed
in retaining heathland for cultivation.
They are housed in communities.
The original intention Of the cell was
to isolate the priScNer from the moral
infection of his fellows, and, more es-
pecially, to end education In crime az
forded to each other, which had in
creased recidiviSm to an alarming de-
gree under the old system.
For this reason the system OF sepa-
ration is still carried out strictly in
cellular prisons. where, because of their
hoods. prisoners never see each others
features. This prevents, as far as pos
sible, eX-prisoners practicing blackmail
on each other after release.
Nevertheless, in Dutch prisons, espe-
cially in houses of detention for per-
sons awaiting trial or sentence, prisoners
do occasionally manage to communicate
with the outside world by "Subterranean
correspondence.
How Cells Are Furnished.
The cells are severe, the walls gen.
orally of gray cement; sometimes they
are painted yellow. Light Is admitted
through a ground glass window near
the ceiling and the only furniture is a
bunk, folding table, stool (for the Grip
pied, women and old persons a chair
and covered pail. The mems hair Is
closely cropped and they wear gray
brown prison clothes. The women wear
a white cotton cap, jacket and skirt.
The inventory includes an eartheware
jug for water, tin drinking cup and food
dish. Recent additions are a plate,
spoon, fork and knife, all handed back
after use, together with utensils sup
piled the prisoners for cleaning their
cells daily
In Winter they get up at 7:30, in
Summer at 7. Lights go out at 9. At
present each prisoner receives in the
morning a half litre Of SKINNED milk
Che women get similar quantity Of
full milk as weld, coffee and brown
bread. Once a week soup Is given, a
piece Of meat in it, and once week
boiled bacon with peas or beans. The
usual WlnLer IOOO Is SOIIe klIlQ Oh IlOL-
pot. but in the Summer potatoes, veg
etables and gravy are given separately.
Fish is included in the menus, pre-
scribed by the department of justice.
Food Now Is Sufficient.
Formerly the food was not quite
enough to satisfy hunger, and pris-
oners had to buy extra food in the can
teen. Now the doctors have calcu-
lated exactly the number of calories for
sufficient nourishment, and the cam
teen supplies extras only, such as but
ter, margarine. sugar, cheese. bacon,
herring, fruit, tea, chocolate and tobac-
CO, for in most prisons now men may
smoke on certain days, sometimes every
day. They pay for these extra rations
out of their pay for their work, for
everyone must work.
The prisons are equipped for special
kinds Of work. All competition with
private industry is avoided, as all the
work is exclusively for Government
service.
Those who know no kind Of hand