Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-14
STUDY OF EUROPE'S
PRISONS COMPLETE
Illinois Commission Ready to
Make Recommendations for
Bettering PenitentiarieS.
~ cable to The star.

BY Gable to The Star.
BERLIN, Germany, August lathe
guests from illinois," Lieut.. Gov. Fred
e. Sterling and the 10 members of the
State Legislature studying prison con-
ditions in Europe, including Judge Denis
e. Sullivan and Judge Harry M Fisher
Of Chicago, have finished giving the
Berlin prisons the once over and are
tentatively preparing recommendations
for Springfield, with an eye to lettering
the generally unsatisfactory conditions
in the State penitentiarieS
SO far as is now clear, these recon-
Ynenditions will include, first reorgani-
ERtion Of the Parole Board so as to make
the members take their jobs with
greater seriousness; second, shortening
of prison sentences for most criminals
and making them longer for Others,
these revisions to be based on the char
acter Of individuals; third, smaller pris-
ans or prison units, and, fourth, CLASH
flcation of these units according to
grades, prisoners graduating from the
more to the less severe ones.
May Mean New Buildings.
This reformation might mean the
huilding of one or two additional insti-
ttltions, but primarily the reorganization
Of existing ones Thus, for instance, the
old Joliet Penitentiary might be the
severest in which prisoners are first
confined and then would be transferred
10 successive buildings at Statewide
Which would be separated and graded.
Bontiac would again be reserved for
youthful offenders. So much for the
Recommendations
.'Sitting last night over a copious din
Iler of roast goose, red cabbage and
Munich light beer, Lieut.. Gov. Sterling.
With the many legislators and their
families, announced that the best prison
they had yet seen in Europe was at
Tegel, near Berlin. and that it was a
copy Of the penitentiary in Pennsyl-
WThe Americans admire the graded sys-
tim of the German prisons, whereby
well behaved prisoners toward the end
OF their sentences are prepared for a
return to society by increasing their lib
erty and encouragement. German courts,
like the British, give lighter sentences
With surer arrest and more convictions,
and therefore need less prison space.
German crininologists believe that the
maximum of 800 prisoners in all any
man can properly look after.
!. U. S. Parole System Best.
ION the other hand, the Illinois com
rfhe system is better than the German
that the Germans take psychiatrists
somewhat too seriously, and that Ger
man Judges have too much discretion in
varying sentences This may be proper
50 far as an individual judge is con-
cerned, but it results frequently in enor-
nous injustice. namely, one judge pun
ishes a crime with two years imprison- !
1nent, whereas another judge gives 10 |
yEar sentence for an identical infraction |
OF the law
sJudge Fisher is struck by the number |
aid the efficiency of the German police |
He notes, however, that the Chicago |
bluecoats do pretty well, whereas about |
1000 officers Of the law protect Cook |
County. Berlin, with similar area and !
ptfpulation, utilities nearly three times /
that many with obviously better results. |
Moreover. Berlin police receive remark
able training. They are picked men, |
and the uniformed service is entirely /
separate from crime detectors.
The Illinois commission has officially /
here, the members scattering
throughout Europe for sightseeing be-
fore returning to the United States.
Copyright. 1872