The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-21

the Board OF Directors by means
OF establishment OF specific sub
committees,
9. A more fOFmallEed plan Of
functions, responsibilities ma
powers OF the members OF the
hired personnel Of the institution
To Urge Speed
THE majority Of these changes
will be effected as soon as humanity
possible" Sen, Wallace declared,
For example the segregation pro-
posal BY means Of building separate
floors for the different types OF IN
mates will get underway at once. Al.
ready architects and others have in-
spected the present cell blocks 70
determine the extent Of the work 70
be done.
speaking In behalf Of all menu
bers Of the board I can say that we
are gratified with the report OF DR..
Palmer who has upheld so many
of the recommendation we have
been striving for at the reformatory
for so long. I feel now, and l know
the other members do also, that we
are beginning 10 realize some OF our
greatest hopes in assisting the
youths unfortunate enough to get
mixed up and therefore tangled up
in the wrong aspects OF society"
OF particular note is the plan tor
classification Of the youthful In
mates at the Cheshire institution.
II is proposed that this be done on
an A, B and c plan with each letter
dencting the type inmate as to the
character, discipline, etc. In turn
an inmate If placed in class G Tor
example can strive to work toward
class b and eventually class A, each
of which will afford more BENEFITS
Under the present system OF the
central cell-block at the institution
all inmates are under the same ROOF
In the same cell block building.
They also mingle daily in recreation
and other sources. Some Of these in
mates Il Is said are the tough guys
whose correction is a difficult aflo
ardous task. Others are psycopaths,
degenerates and Of moron level OF
intelligence.
SegregattOn necessary
Referring to this Senator Wallace
said today: d.
This is obviously wrong. Yet II
is common in institutions almost all
over the nation. Segregation Is the
only means Of offSetting the bad
influence OF tough guy or a de-
generate or unfortunate upon the
youths whose rehabilitations Is sim"
ply a matter OF ordinary institu-
tional discipline and proper educa"
ton"
Some sources said today that
Connecticut jurists in general may
be opposed TO the grading plans Tor
inmates which calls for final dis
position of the guilty youths case
by the classification board rather
than the individual jurist. In effect
IL means that the classification
board would best determine wheth-
er the youth should be confined at
the reformatory and within a GER
tain classification or sent TO some
other institution.
Referring to this plan, DR.. Palmer
in his report says. many youthful
offenders are sent 70 institutions
that by their very nature, are I'M
suited for the task imposed intend
ed by the committing agency. With
the present laws governing commit
ment, there can be no uniformity.
OF two boys convicted Of the same
offense but in different Jurisdiction
one may be sent to the county jail
and the other TO the reformatory.
1t would appear in many instances,
the family'S wishes are consulted
but not the needs Of the youth or
the community"
In his report DR.. Palmer deals
with the problem OF discipline,
which calls for the reconstruction
of the segregation cells Of the re-
formatory, OF which there are six
At present, he says 1t is possible for
the youths confined there to talk
with each other, touch each others
hands thus passing things back and
forth, all Of which void the element
Of discipline.
1t was such segregation cells and
LIlclI use WAlASll lAAC bOoAA Va va
rectors criticized harShly last year,
at that time attacking the bread
and water diet afforded recalcitrant
inmates and the thin blankets given
them for sleeping on the floor. Since
that time the board has effected the
elimination OF this procedure.
Asks For Tribunal
It Is suggested by the report that
a three-man tribunal" be set up TO
handle such cases Of attractions.
particulrly where the inmate is
noted as a repeated offender Of par
ticularly vicious traits which have
characterized not only his crimes
but his continual place in office.
Dr.. Palmer In conjunction with
the board has urged that the pro-
posed classification board be COM
prised Of the following:
l. an executive secretary or
clerk.
2. the assistant superintendent.
3. Catholic chaplain.
4. Protestant chaplain.