Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07
Proposes Treatment of Problem as Part
OF General Crime Reduction, With Fed
eral and State Authorities in Co.
operation-Asks Decent Places of
Confinement, Better Pay for Of
fcers and System of Industries
for Prisoners.

the Federal Industrial Institution for
Women at Anderson, w. Va, Is direct
result of intelligent cooperation and
the hard work done by the general
Federation of Women's Clubs, the w.
C. T. u. and other organizations inter-
ested in having a Federal penal insti-
tuition for women which can serve as
model for the rest Of the country.
The best features found in the best
State institutions have been combined
in its plans, structure and management.
The women are housed in cottage type
buildings, each accommodating 80 IN
mates with q warder. There are In
dividual sleeping quarters made TO LOOK
more like rooms than cells. MeolcaI
treatment, hard work under wholesome
conditions and an actual STUDY IN
mental reimbursement of entrants to
the institutions by a staff Of highly
trained officials consecrated to their
duty are some of the Institutions best
features.
At Chillicothe, Ohio, the Department
of Justice took over 900 acres and sew
eral million dollars worth OF unused
property left from a war cantonment.
Tor the establishment of reformatory
for first offenders under 80 years OF
age. Young men are now temporarily
housed in the old Army barracks; a
brick kiln has been erected, brick is
being manufactured and the first corners
are engaging in making the brick and
erecting the institution, which is to be
of reformatory type without walls.
Trades will be taught and schooling
provided.
In Leavenworth Penitentiary, where
we have. 5000 prisoners, shoe factory
affords employment to approximately
400 men. In 1928 this factory manu-
featured $4,000 pairs of shoes, but, ac-
cording to Department of Commerce re-
ports, the Indian Service and other
branches of the Government bought
875 900 pairs of shoes. Much expan-
sion of this industry is. therefore, pos
sible. The broom factory at Leaven-
worth Penitentiary for the first eight
months of last year put out 6,700 dozens
of brooms and 1000 dozen brushes. At
Atlanta Penitentiary, also housing more
than 5000 prisoners, a textile industry
gives employment to something over
TOO men. Duck, from which mail bags
are made. is manufactured, and canvas
for the Army and Navy Departments.
In all of these factories nominal wage
is paid the prisoners.
IN spite Of these encouraging advances
in the system of administration OF
Federal prisons, represented by the Al
derson and Chillicothe institutions and
by the establishment of shoe and broom
factories and the enlargement OF the
textile mill, thousands of men incar-
cerated under the flag Of the United
States are still in idleness, which breeds
bitterness and destroys the prisoners
self-respect. They are weight on the
conscience Of every official connected
with the prison management in the De-
partment of Justice who views his re-
sponsibility seriously. This idleness
breeds criminal states OF consciousness.
These mental states are contagious. I'm
provement of penal conditions is an in
tegral part of any effort toward the re-
duction of crime.
I appeal, therefore, 10 every fair
minded and patriotic man and woman
to study the local jail conditions, make
them wholesome and the treatment Of
prisoners humane and rational. ! ap-
peal particularly for support Of the Fed
eral Government in discharging its re-
Sponsibilities to men sentenced under
Federal laws. so that prison overcrowd-
ing may be ended, trained officials en-
ployed and industries established and
enlarged to give work and . wage to
every incarcerated man.
Intelligent prison administration can
and will help solve the problem Of
achieving effective and enduring law en-
forcement