New Britain herald., 1930-12-30
PRISON COMMITTEE
 DECIDES CRUELTY
 CHARGES BASELESS
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 our opinion, need not be of the pris- on type with expensive steel or brick cells. Experience shows that it is quite sufficient to have a wall about the sleeping quarters, because, pre- sumably, only the best and most trustworthy type of prisoners will be assigned to this form of work. The advantages of such an arrange ment are manifest. Such a prison farm could be established at an expense not too burdensome, and it would be a source of revenue which would go far to justify it's existence In addition to this. it would be an outlet for the labor of presumab bly, ten per cent of the prison popula- ton even if the farm were devoted merely to supplying the needs of the prison at Wethersfeld. If SUD- plies to other state institutions could be brought within the system, work could be found for a much
 
 surroundings of this camp would be more normal than in the prison proper and, no doubt, some system could be devised by which men, by their own efforts, could qualify for service upon the farm.
 We cannot too strongly urge such an establishment. From every pos siblc standpoint, it possesses dis tinct advantages; and so far as We have been able to ascertain. no req sonable objection can be made to it.
 ".
 ''We believe that the school for inmates can be made much more efficient than it now is. We do not think that it should be handled by the chaplain. We recommend that it be placed in charge of q skilled and professional educator Inmates should undoubtedly participate in the instruction, which should have practical value and correlate. so far as possible, with the kind of work which the inmates are performing or which they may propose to take up upon thelr release.
 '.
 Inmates are at present forbidden to talk during meals. While it may be claimed that this aids in the maintenance of discipline. the ab- Hpncc of conversation at meals makes the scene in the mess hall deprt ssing; and it is difficult to be- lleVe that 1t IS preferred by the priS- oners. No doubt some prisoners have objected to the conversation of those in their immediate vicinity during the period when the silence rule was not in vogue. We are ln- clined to believe that further ex- Ierulontation could well be adopted with reference to this matter. Pris- oners who abuse the privilege should Got be permitted to have it. Thcor- et5cally, at least conversation at meals is conducive to a greater sat istaction with the food which, in cidentally, would have some effect upon the health We are inclined 10 believe that an attempt should be made 10 relax the silence rule in the mess hall, at least to some extent aud under reasonable safeguards. In connection with this suggestion, the subdivision of the mess hall might well be considered.
 VI.
 'lt will be observed that the bulk Of the prisoners are in the first grade. Comparatively few are in the second grade and an almost |negligiblo number are in the third grade. This fact speaks well for the Discipline of the institution. and the desire upon the part of the pris- oners to improve their status and make themselves as quickly as pos sible available subjects for parole.
 "Thcre are, however, life prisoners In the institution to very substan- tlal number, To be exact, there are ninety Of them. They are, upon the whole. the most tractable in the in- stitution.
 We make no recommendation with regard to any read diustment of the first grade which would raise he standard necessary for parole. That standard is sufficiently high al ready, but We think that especially meritOricus prisoners, who reach q still higher standard, could well be graded in a more distinctive manner which would put them in a class entitled to greater privileges. In connection with this we recommend q more systematic control of the granting of privileges so that they may become a part of the disciplin- ary training of the inmates.
 VII.
 With regard to the medical de- partm"nt, we recommend:
 "ta) A continuation of the re- building of hospital wards and the extension Of hospital facilities.
 "Cb) Special facilities for tubercu- lar patients as to food, blankets and utensils. with the use of special colors for ready identification,
 "(c) Establishment of an ade- quate laboratory. "td) Tho purchase of an N-ray apparatus necessary for fractures, bullet wounds and diagnosis of dis eased conditions
 "(e) A new autoclave for steril- izaton of dressings; therapeutic lamp; facilities for blood counts; ex- amnation of blood, gastric contents, 1 etc, and more detailed records par ticularly on admission and discharge. |
 "tG) Renovation of the invalid yard,
 "(s) Some satisfactory arrange 1 ment for isolation rooms for in mates suspected of infectious or communicable diseases. thereby re- ducing the likelihood of epidemics. l
 "(h) Employment of graduate | male nurse.