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

SAT, 600 worth of output annually, which Is
terrific switch TO plan for during the coming
two years, for the prisoners in these crowded
institutions must be kept busy or there win be
trouble not to say riots.
The work done and the spirit in which it
Is being done have been notably improved by
the classification method of assigning men TO
the jobs they are suited for. AS an old head
keeper said the other day, and with the cons
servatism of his % years experience 1t was
quite an admission: "You know how I felt
about all this old woman stuff Well, see
now / was all wet Classification has cut my
job in half For the first time since I've been
in prison we know where to put man, and
we know that after we've put him there we
won't have to switch him around to get any
work out of him. I'm a disciplinary officer,
but don't have much to do any more in regard
to punishment"
few of the oldtimers are still skeptical.
though, in their attitude toward what the bug
doctors" are doing. One warden who MAIN
tanned that ordinary common sense was bet
ter than "any amount Of this psychology hocuS
pocus" attempted to prove his point in picking
nine men for transfer to farm. He deliberately
chose men whom the bug doctors" classified as
requiring maximum security. He'd show emil
He did. Or rather the men themselves did.
Every one Of the nine promptly escaped!
Aside from this special instance, evasions
from New Jerseys prison farms and road cos
struction camps have totaled less than per
escaped recapture The thought Of being sent
back to bastille serves as deterrent enough.
Besides, the men are well off-many Of them
better on than they have ever been before.
Living In environments, they work hard, but
healthfully, In the open air for or 10 hours q
day. under the supervision of guards who carry
firearms And they have the sense of ac-
complishing something that brings self-respects
The produce they have grown to date has proven
salable to the tune Of 100000. Livestock
they have taken care of has won prizes In
various county fairs. And the road construc-
ton crews have built or repaired 800 miles Of
highway in the manner that has been pro-
nounced by engineering experts to be best In
the State.
Even better, from a sociological point Of
view, is the record in manhood. As compared
with general prison population, which has q
IS per cent repeater" or chronic jaiIbird ele-
ment, the huskihed outdoorsmen are more like
ly to be rebuilt inwardly as well as physically.
Their trend-for it Is almost too soon to figure
percentages-is notably below the return-
average. AS one of the guards expressed it.
I'VE seldom see the same man back" And.
most significant Of all. there has been no riot
at any prison farm or prison camp.
AZ result Of riots in several 'maximum-
security" institutions New York some 10
months ago took about 500 men out Of the,
overcrowded bastilles and put them into H6 q
camps 1t was just emergency measure, but
it worked, with few escapes and with general
improvement in morale Now New York Is
planning a gradual housing change for her
prison population of 5000; the present con-
gestion is to be relieved by the establishment
Of camps at low construction cost. But the
transfers will have to be made with expert
knowledge of what sort Of men can be trusted
away from bolts and bars; hence New York's
concern for classification.
In California the experiment of supplement-
firct att ted
years ago. in small way. Now IS per cent
of that States prisoners are in cantonments
receiving good pay and earning it. In Wiscon-
sin the State prison farm has grown like all
outdoors" Vermont has reason to be proud OF
her model farm at Windsor, and Mass achusettS
OF the thriving one at Bridgewater. Virgnias
outdoor inmates have no less notably increased
and prospered during recent years.
The signs are hopeful that Mr. Morrow,s in-
novation viii permit not only 40 per cent of
all prisoners, but even taxpayers, chance to
breathe more easily.