The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-10-31
A GOOD SUGGESTION

TINE federal government now is planning to
send incorrigible prisoners and those with
notorious records as to escape to the federal
prison on AIcatraz island in San Francisco
bav. 1t is well nigh impossible to escape from
this stronghold except through definite con-
nivance with aids in motorboats.
The experience of the world with penal
colonies since the sixteenth century consti-
tute an important episode in the history of
modern punitive methods. During the middle
ages, criminals were sent in large numbers to
toll as galley slaves In early modern times
this practice came to an end. Sailing vessels
replaced those operated in whole or in part
by oars. Moreover there was a need for more
numerous settlers in the newly discovered
areas over seas.
Spain sent large numbers of convicts to her
domains in the new world. Great Britain
transported more than $4,000 convicts to her
Atlantic colonies before the outbreak of the
Revolution in ITS made it necessary for her
to give up this practice Then, in 1857, she
began to transport her convicts to Australasia
She sent them there by the thousands until,
growth of humanitarian sentiment at home
brought about the abandonment of transporta-
ton in 1857
About the time that Great Britain was
pudiating transportation method of treat
ing her criminals, France took it up. The lat
ter country established a penal colony in
French Guiana on the northern coast of South
nd
was part Of this penal colony. France created
another penal colony in New Caledonia in the
southern Pacific about ten years later. Russia
sent many of her criminals to the terrible
Siberian prison camps. Italy has maintained
several penal colonies in Africa and on bleak
Mediterranean islands They have been popu-
lated rather heavily of late by political pris-
onerS sent there as a result of MuSSoliniS
crusade against liberalism and dissent.
The record of the goings-on in these penal
colonies one OF the blacklist chapters in
the history of human brutality.
One of the worst features of penal trans
portation in the past has been the lack of
discrimination in the types of criminals thus
transported. Not only hardened and habtual
criminals, but many first offenders and those
guilty of trivial crimes and misdemeanorS have
thus been separated from friends and relatives
and compelled to live a most unnatural ex-
istence
1t would be most undesirable if the United
States were to duplicate or revive this lament
able chapter of human existence. No such
situation need arise, however, if we stick reSo-
structure on Acatraz island, as prisons go,
is relatively modern and habitabe. There are
plenty of excellent men available for appoint
ment as warden who would introduce regime
that would be fair, if firm. There would be
no need for any special cruelty or barbarism
in the new institution.
and penal logic, it would be far better if the
dangerous, incorrigible and nonreformable
criminals were to be extermnated painlessly.
Until, however, we are willing to take such a
sensible step, the innovation now proposed is
highly commendahle
1t will increase the safety of society and
protect us from the depredations of the des-
perate types who conduct prison breaks 1t
also will be great aid to progressive wardens
who need to devote their attention primarily
to devising ways and means of improving the
reformable criminals