The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-18

'sTte New Haven county jail is used as 6 clubhouse by prisoners" Pros, Atty. William K. Isawlor said this morning, where the inmates gather about during the day with idle time on their hands"
 He commented the action taken by High Sheriff J. Edward Slavir, when he wrote to the board of county commissioners urging the New Haven county jail to be liquid ated and replaced in some suburban town by jail farm. Sheriff Slavtn characterized as the principal en- efgy expended by the prisoners el- bow-bending in the eating of their food. It stands near the top of the list among the most vigorous exercises now possible at the coun- ty jail.
 SeIf-SuppoFting
 Attorney Lawlor said that cou1- ty farm and jail could be run on a partly self-supporting plan and would contribute more to men in building up men physically and where they could work to raise their own produce in the fields.
 Mir. Lawlor suggested that a dairy farm where milk, eggs, and other .foodstuff could be raised by the prisoners, would make healthy men and when the rehabilitation process was completed the city court would not have as many frequent repeat CTS.
 'rThe taxpayers criticizes us and say that we should put away city . drunks, but the situation is not solved by simply sentencing the men to the county jail, the problem is left in abeyance and the drunks are back with us again later"
 The lawyer said that some of the men who are tried ill court anx- iously seek sentences to the county jail where they can avoid the ardu- GUS tasks of earning a living. He cited as an example the father of family of five children whose wife recently said that he would rather go there than work.
 MT. Lawlor added, This man wanted to resume his leisure hours at i1AC SOu1Aty A1ot1tuOAOb'
 Men need out-door work, out in : the field, or about the dairy farm where the sun and air will do them the most good. These men when , released will be the better for it., the shirkers will avcid the jail farm as they would plague.
 "A jail and farm would relieve much of the taxpayers the burden of upkeep, if a penal institution were built where it could assume much of its maintenance as sup porting unit.
 We need place where these men will be rehabilitated and when they come out, will be able to resume their occupations.
 Old Dungeons
 The present system is redolent Of the dungeons of the olden time, :" Attorney Lawlor declared, where prisoners in those days were denied the air and the, sun of working out-of doors. We should have them out doors in the sun and air, out in the field where the most good will be received by them. This would foster the habit of work and thereby be help to themselves and others"
 Sheriff Slavin indicated that the land could be developed which would be suitable to the county s requirements and the institution would not have to be an elaborate affair, the cost would be reasonable and land could be purchased on an undeveloped piece of property. s The sheriff said that the section where the jail is on Whalley avenue had increased because of the growth of the vicinity, and hazard a fig- ure that the land and building would fetch between $50O00 and S10O0OO although he had no pros pective buyer in mind.
 The newly constructed institution would house about 25O inmates and he was not in approval for state