Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-27
W|CKERSHAM PAPER
.DENOUNCES NATION
PRISON CONDITIONS
Report, Submitted to Hoover,
Urges Fewer Iron Bars,
More Education.
METHODS HELD BRUTAL,
ANCIENT, inefficient
Effective Parole System Urged.
Present Practice Is Termed
Huge Joke"
Py the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Wickersham Law Enforcement
Commission today condemned the Ma
tons prison system as Anticipated, in
efficient. failing to reform the criminal
or protect society. and as using brutal
disciplinary measures without justin
cation.
Submitting its seventh report to
President Hoover. dealing with. penal
institutions, probation and parole" the
commission advocated the creation of a
new system in which iron bars would
play but a small part and education
would be uppermost.
Much of the report was denuncia
ton OF prison conditions, characterize
as almost incredible" under which
men were imprisoned in overcrowded
cells without SUFFICIENT light or fresh air
or benefit of modern plumbing.
Scores Discipline.
1t dashed out also at the system of
prison discipline described as "tradi-
tional. antiQuated, unintelligent and
not infrequently cruel and inhuman."
the increase of crime by hardening the
prisoner" the commission urged they
be blamed by law.
Among the punishments revealed,
many of them visited upon prisoners
for slight offenses, were the Stacking
Of men to doors for II hours a day,
whipping, placing them in straight
jackets, flashing them down under
streams of cold water, combining them
to-.
impossible, and keeping them in COM
plete darkness for days at time on a
ration of four ounces of bread every
"a hours.
After asserting that the Ameri-
can prison had tailed as a business
enterprise" and as an educational in
stitution. since men were released no
better then when committed, the COM
mission added:
That the prison has failed as a dis
ciplinary institution, the riots, the fire,
the use of cruel and brutal measures of
punishment. the persistent recurrence
of murder within the prison, the pres
ence of narcotics. the frequent atmcs-
phere of hatred and bitterness suffici-
entity evidence.
Punishment Vicious Circle.
1T is Gear at present that the more
Ill pl lllC
content, the more discomfort the more
irritation, the more irritation the more
plotting. the more plotting the more
violation of rules and the greater need
for more severe punishment. The whole
procedure is in the nature of vicious
circle for which there seems to be no
remedy"
Outlining what it considered the ideal,
the commission asserted segregation of
the diseased, insane, drug addicted and
hardened criminal was one of the first
requisites. It held fortress-like prisons
of the Auburn type were unnecessary
save for the worst types
THE millions of dollars now en-
ployed to construct elaborate maxi
mum-secuIity prisons" 1t said. could
with much better advantage, be used
in the development and proper financ-
ing. OF adequate systems of probation
and parole"
Under the proposed system all pris-
oners would be paid wages, their treat
ment would be more humanized, the
choosing of prison officials would be
removed from politics and guards would
be trained specifically for their task.
Parole Extension Urged.
1t was advocated that mo man should
be sent to penal institution until it
is definitely determined that he is not
fit subject for probation" Extension
Of the parole system also was urged as
the best means yet devised for releas-
ing prisoners from confinement"
Nevertheless, the commission asserted.
the present system of parole, in most
sections was little more than "a huge
joke" It scored the loose supervision
of PAROLES, which in Is States was car
ried on by correspondence, making 1t
easy to beat the game"
Discussing conditions within existing
prisons, the report said the overcrowd-
ing in Federal institutions during 1880
was 65.9 per cent more than capacity
and that in the system as a whole
probably worse than it ever has been"
1t is said well over one-third of air
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