The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-06-18
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

TN getting perspective on our own institutions
Il nothing is better than the comment of dis
/ tnguished visitors. They are able to view us
independent of any special partlsanshlp or
selfish local interest
Therefore those who aim to give us more
civilized prison system in the United States will
welcome the clear and authoritative report on
The Prison Problem of America" by Alexander
Paterson, Royal Commissioner OF Prisons Tor
England and Wales.
In the year 1881 he made an intensive study
both of American prisons and of psychological
opinion in America. His constructive criticisms
should carry weight with American students OF
prison problems.
Mr.. Paterson is especially critical of the over
crowding of American prisons and of the severe
sentences which in a large part account for these
distressing conditions. He offers the following
suggestions as to desirable remedies for this
abuse:
Greater use should be made in all courts
of the imposition of fines, and the putting o.
offenders on probation Imprisonment should
be used only as a last resort when other forms
of non institutional training and punishment are
clearly inapplicabe.
THE average sentence should be much
shorter. The long sentence is justified as
means of lettering the offender from repeating
the offense or lettering the potential offender
from committing the same offense. 1t would seem
from the experience of the last lew years That
the long sentences passed by the American
courts have not succeeded in either of these di-
rections.
TT may further be justified as a means of
Il training the character and habits of the
offender Here again, however, the sentence OF
twenty or thirty years would seem to be too
long So far from being more reformative in
its effect than of five ten years it is likely
! 20 make man more unfit for free life by
causing him to become stale and automatic"
| Mr.. Paterson is in harmony with most en-
lightened opinion in the field in denouncing the
mammoth size which characterizes the majority
of the prisons of this country. Moreover, he
shows that it is absurd to build prisonlike struc
| lures to segregate and restrain the majority of
our convictS.
ideally, no penal institution should contain
more than 500 men. Certainly it should not be
allowed to grow beyond 1000. The mammoth
prison is almost bound to do prisoner more
harm than good If a simpler and less ex-
pensive type of building could be accepted it
should be possible to have smaller prisons with
out adding greatly to the cost of construction.
A prison should be secure and durable: it need
not be splendid or imposing
! The recognition by several states that there
is a great margin between the maximum Sc
curity required for desperate criminals, and the
minimum that is necessary for quiet and we'll
| conducted ones, should be extended throughout
all the states.
THE policy of establishing prison camps in
Auidl AREAS S41OuIU De OeNelOpeQ throughout Ine
continent 1t might be possible to appeal to
group of strong minded students in the uni
versity to take few hundred young criminals
to a lonely part and form a new community
Attempts to escape could be outwitted by the
use Of an airplane"
THE current view that almost anybody will do
Il for the office of prison warden and GER
tainly for the position of a prison guard is
strongly condemned by Mr.. Paterson. He takes
his stand with enlightened opinion in this coun-
/ try at We need the best human material for
such responsible positions and that those en-
| trusted with prison administration must be
thoroughly and competently trained for their
work:
The occupation of men and women in deal
| ing with offenders against the law should be
| recognized as an expert profession requiring the
very best human material and thorough train
ing in every phase Of the problem. A larger
number of university men should be attracted to
this profession.
There should be training schools for all sub
ordinate officers before they are allowed to start
upon their work. In order that larger number
of men may be promoted from the subordinate
| to the senior ranks, a staff college should be
required that they may receive a further
course of training before they embark upon their
more responsible duties.
/ The appointment of all the people concerned
with the care Of offenders should be by the civil
service authorities in each state, and no account
should be taken of political views or services All
ranks should be assured that if they acquit them
selves worthily they have security of tenure in
their post. the prospect of promotion, and an
adequate pension when they retire"