The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-08
BY PAUL II. MALLON


(On1tc0 Press SIAN correspondent
Washington, July 8.-UP)-For-
hidden to laugh, on penalty of being
confined in prison dungeons, flogged
for petty infraction of rules, thrown
into solitary, dark cells for speak
ing in the dining room, juvenile
delinquents in American prisons are
subject to daily abuse and even
torture" according to a report of
the Wickersham law enforcement
commission, made public to-day by
President Hoover.
Fatal consequences of official
abuse were reported in one instance,
the report says.
child offenders, and embodies a
detailed study of that subject.
Writing of conditions at Wash
MISSIONS investigator, Miriam Van
Waters, said:
punishment In the dark cells is
given for trivial as we'll as serious
offenses; not standing at count,
speaking in dining room, laughing
in the cell block, making loud
popping noises with the mouth,
were listed on some of the discipline
slips of the federal cases studied.
at was related to our field work
err by one of the reformatory staff
that a prisoner was found dead in
one of these cells"
Concerning the industrial reform
atory at Chillicothe. Ohio, she
charged.
"A few minor offenses noted in
the records as punished by from
three to six days in the guard house
were, possession of two cent
stamp; talking in mess line; conceal
ing an apple in bunk; kicking a ref
use can; stealing five eggs from the
Kitchen"
Stacking of boys with leg irons
and misuse of the flogging system
was charged against the national
training school for boys at Wash
ington last year, but these condi-
lions were said to have been cor
rected.
OVercrowding was shown at near
all places where federal juvenile de-
linquents are placed. At Chilli
cothe the living quarters were found
to be sin poor repair, crowded, un-
sanitary, and not fireproof." The
national training school for girls at
Muirkird, Mr., was described as "a
dismal restrictive place. reflecting
it's spirit"
The only place given a clean bill
was the Idaho industrial training
school, st Anthony, Idaho. There
it was reported a boy arriving from
another prison was treated for a leg
sore resulting from iron shackles
and the confinement of his foot in
an Oregon boot, (another form of
shackles).
The Washington State institution
received the severest criticism.
Twelve correction cells there con-
tain no light or bedding, the re-
port said. Inmates are required to
sleep on the floor. The aim of the
medical aid was to be "to stave off
epidemics rather than to treat
those who are obviously seriously
ILL.,"
One punishment described there
is 1.-The drill crew. of which it was
stated:
"Those placed on the drill crew
are required to keep moving con-
stantly in the yard. They are fed in
the dining room twice day slice
of bread, tablespoon Of potatoes
and water"
AS summation of her opinion
the investigator concluded:
at is a matter for some interpre-
tative comment that the hardest
punishments are found usually in
the institutions for the reform of
young children.
"The best Of the institutions
houses the children in large groups,
uses Easements for living and play
rooms, employs disciplinary meas
ures such as silence at meals,
marching, formal routine, and fog
ging; inmates are frequently at the
mercy of boy captains; the worst is
not to be distinguished from the
prison."
To merit such lives, the federal
delinquent youngsters were gener-
ally guilty of one of three crimes:
Violation of the prohibition law,
the immigration laws or the motor
vehicle theft act. the commission
found.
OF the 2,243 boys and girls under
eighteen incarcerated during the six
months ending December 81, 1880,
there were $50 convicted of violat-
In the prohibition law (44.2 per
cent Of the totaD, 492 violators of
the immigration law and 392 motor
theft miscreants.
Eighteen Of the prohibition law
xa0latArA were under IL and nearly