Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04

IS" Or he might be put IN with Brown Tor
the weighty reason that they both arrived on
the same day (Which was the case with our
friend Pete and his friend. Or he might draw
"a couple of other fellows" on the basis Of
alleged similarity, due to all three being in for
assault and battery. AS though a like crime
meant that they Sere necessarily all of the
same stamp!
OUCH haphazard ways with the accent on
- the "hazard'O have been done away with.
Now, when a new arrival has been through
the Introductory quarantine OF IA to 80 days
without which there would be danger Of cpl
denies getting I'M, he is brought up for
thorough and many-sided examination To wit:
A physician examines him for general health
and constitution, reports any physical defects,
recommends any medical surgical work that
may seem to be needed, and generally there Is
something-eyes tonsils, some chronic aiInnent.
Next a psychiatrist examines the condition
Of his nervous system, personality. makeup
and sanity. If the man is an alcoholic or a
drug addict the signs are noted. An opinion Is
also given as to whether the condition is
durable by treatment, or whether he is per-
manent case, unfit ever to be at large.
Then a psychologist examines him from the
point of view of intelligence, aptitudes, char
acter and temperament Computes his mental
level and mental age Finds out, In short,
has to deal with. how trustworthy he is, what
sort of training he is fitted for.
SuppIementing the examination, investi-
gator of the division of classification and parole
reports what has been learned concerning the
mans home environment and neighborhood
conditions General background, case history.
The supervisor Of education and training also
contributes an angle, reporting any scnoonng
the man may have had and indicating the
apparent possibilities in regard to further in
struction; and the disciplinary officer submits
a record of the prisoners behavior during the
month since arrival-any "uglineSs" displayed
and any disciplinary measures that had to be
resorted to and with what effect.
On the basis of these reports the Classif1ca-
ton Committee comprising all those mentioned
above and presided over by the superintendent
of the institution, makes specific, although ten
tative recommendations as to the minimum re-
uuirements to be met before the Individual Is
eligible for parole. This Is enormously lmpor-
tant 1t means that in the case of a man who Is
obviously unit for an unmatched existence, a
definite warning Is put on record. 1t means
that man temperamentally unsafe for parole
doesn't get paroled unless and until he decidedly
changes character.
The trouble is that some pathological type
may be in for only year or two. When he has
done mis- time the law can't hold him further.
But in certain extreme cases
Well, for instance, there were three peculiar
brothers who had managed to be self-maintain-
ing and apparently self-respecting citizens by
working in a stone quarry at $50 week each,
which was quite enough to run their little home
in the country. But they did odd things. Hav-
ing bought an automobile, and none OF them
being bright enough to qualify for drivers
license, they would sit in the car on the road
in front of their house and make believe they
were motoring" Which was funny in way
until il was discovered that they were perpe-
trating horrible crimes throughout the neigh
borhood. When their terms in prison were up
instead of letting them back into the COM
munity something special was done about them
Ia point was stretched and they were COM
mitted to a State hospital for life 1t was the
only safe thing to do with them.
But under the old system where men went
to prison with no psychological questions asked
they would be home today with all their
speakableness. In their case and in many
others classification has proved that grim walls
are only part of the business of protecting the
public from unsafe persons.
HAVE already mentioned the savings which
the classification system Is making possible
in New Jersey-both in construction cost and
maintenance. For the farm type is far cheaper
to build and virtually maintains itself On the
other hand, the profits from the indoor indus
tries in the baStille type of prisons are neceS-
sarily limited Contract labor. which still OBJ
tains in number of States, does not pay its
way as far as the State government is con-
cerned Even the prison shop which manufac-
lures for state use" market-that is for SUD-
plying institutions in the same State and other
States, as all will be doing after the Hawes-
Cooper law goes into effect two years from
now-labors under many disadvantages in conn
parison with the outside shop In trades in
volving skill, such as furniture making or
printing, the production is only about third
of what it would be elsewhere because the
requisite training is lacking
The Hawes-Cooper law will put the uuietns
on contract labor activities now representing