Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-27
W|CKERSHAM PAPER
HITS JAIL SYSTEM
"BrutaI, Ancient and lneffl-
cient Methods" Are Scored
in Crime Report.
(Continued From First Page)


the major prisons in the country were
between 10 and 100 years old and that
81 per cent of them were without
plumbing. Many of the cells now nous
ing two men are so small, the report
asserted, that the air would have to be
changed every three or four minutes TO
prevent Objectionable odors.
Some of the institutions specihcally
criticized were the State Prison in Ore
gon, the Charlestown Prison in Massa-
chusetts, the Auburn and Clinton Prls-
ons in New York, the Folsom Prison In
California and the old prison at Joliet,
Ill.
Unemployment Strain.
In the face of such conditions, the
commission said, unemployment adds
o burden and strain upon both the
prison administration and the inmates
which becomes almost intolerable." 1t
cited some instances in which men were
kept in their cells almost "a hours
day, and others where they were made
to sit on benches in loft from break
fast until noon and noon until supper,
simply for lack of work.
Mentioning the riots at Folsom, the
Colorado State prison, Columbus,
Leavenworth, jefferson City, Missouri,
Auburn and Clinton, the commission
said, in general that if the prisoners
were unnecessarily irritated then no
amount of discipline or cruelty will
save the institution from internal Vlo-
lence, riot, fire and murder
1t disclosed that after strict disciple
nary methods" were instituted at
jefferson City, five men committed sui
eide, four were killed by other prisoners
and IS escaped.
Experts Make Report.
Appended to the commissions report
was a lengthy study by an advisory
committee of "a experts, among them
Sanford Bates, director OF Feoeral
prisons. 1t concurred with the COM
mission that the present prison system
was failing in its purpose of reforming
criminals.
It's recommendations was one that
orison industry be expanded. to Whlcn
was added that such industry must OF
necessity come into competition WIN
that Of free labor.
A third report. prepared by Hastings
H. Hart, chairman of the committee.
condemned the present system of police
filth and vermin, as often constituting
fire traps in which prisoners have been
cremated. and as the setting for third
degree" methods often accompanied by
illegal treatment and torture.
Joliet Prison Cited.
In the course of its criticism OF condi-
lions in specified prisons, the commits
sion reported that at the new institu-
tion at Joliet men are held in cells on
a diet consisting of four ounces OF
bread and one quart of water day.
from a day to a week" II contlnso
for a longer period, it was added. they
are given full ration one day each
While on this restricted diet, the
commission said, the men are hand
cuffed to a door for about IL hours
dav, It added that man recently dleo
in the old Joliet prison while held in
this position.
Criticizing prison unemployment, the
commission cited as examples such
prisons as Walla Walla. in Washington
Auburn and Clinton. in New YORK; the
State Prison at Columbus, where Tor
years more than third of the prison
population has been kept in idlsness:
the prison in Colorado, the Eastern and
Western Panitentiaries, in Pennsylvania
GTe SCaUe RTlSOIl III WlSCOIlS4Ii, OliC ~ 40
ons in Maryland, Nevada, Utah, Mon
tana, Michigan and others"
Guards Life Hard.
Although condemning many of the
habits and actions of prison guards. the
report said their lot was hard and
often uninviting one. Citing a state
rent from a unnamed source in Illinois,
It said:
"The position of guard is well nigh
intolerable His salary is ridiculously
low and far less than that which can
be earned by even the most incom-
petent mechanic. His hours are very
iong-sometimes Is hours a day-and
he IS himself virtually prisoner. His
isolation is cruel. as under the rules
which exist at Joliet, at any rate, he
is not allowed to converse with the
prisoners"
The commission said study of con-
ditions in New York City had revealed
that in recent years a guards had
committed suicide and 10 had gone
insane.
G