The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-07-01
BY CLARKE a

u az tUtilNCi Its dotAOA1iCsS4
Fewer prisoners than ever be-
fore are now being held in the
escape-proof federal prison in
San Francisco Bay, and it's very
expensive to operate - So a
day to maintain each desperate
guest. In other federal prisons
the 'bean money is only SO.
But the main consideration is
the restraining effect of Alca-
traz on the inmates of other
iaifs and on men outside who
might be plotting a great crime
and yet decide against ii be-
cause of their dread of "The
Rock.
The issue is now being pom
dered by the House judiciary
committee. James v. Bennett,
director of the u. S. Bureau of
Prisons, has made no firm rec
ommendation. He has only
pointed out that one or more
federal prisons must be closed
to keep within the proposed
budget, that operation costs at
Alcatraz are excessively high
but that the psychological fac
tor behind Alcatraz is the big
question-mark.
Abandonment of Alcatraz
wouldn't be a total saving in
any cast The Federal govern
ment still would have to es-
tablish in one of its Is other
prisons a maximum security
block" where incorrigible pris-
oners could be kept safely and
apart from other prisoners for
whom there is still some hope
of rehabilitation. All large pen
al institutions have such dun
geons - called by criminals
"Klondikes', "Siberias', "soli-
tary" or deadlock.
AlcatraZ was established in
1884. when the government was
at the peak of its battle against
kidnapers, racketeers, bank
robbers and imperious gangs.
Hosts of the underworld were
slain or imprisoned. BY 1889 J.
Edgar Hoover, director of the
Federal Bureau of %Investiga-
ton, was able to say that not
one nationally organized gang
was left.
What part did Alcatraz play
in the victory? Will criminals
become holder if there is no
more A1catraz? No one really
knows. That's why Congress
intends to do a lot of thinking
before it lets A1catraz go.
AS to whether Alcatraz, or
any other prison, deters Grim
inals, Director Bennett has only
two broad convictions: Cd That
they do not deter those who
commit accidental crime or
crimes of passion, psychopaths
or alcoholics; (2) That they do
deter many persons who are
tempted to do such things as
steal or file fraudulent tax re-
turns. "But whether it deters
the average criminal" says
Bennett, "the prison system is
the only system we know"
Of one thing he is sure: That
all hardened criminals live in
mortal fear of winding up on
Alcatraz. He permits no bru-
tally against inmates there, but
prisoners are allowed the min
imum of privileges, and the dis
cipline is more severe than in
any other American institution.
Those who enter it have no
hope of delivery or parole. Nc
one has ever escaped, although
two men once did dive into the
cold, swift currents that sweep
the rock. They are believed to
have drowned. Nc one has ever
been paroled direct from Alca-
traz. Men can, however. work
their way back to some other
prison by years of good be-
havior.
Alcatraz now has 228 pris-
oners = nearly all of whom
Bennett knows personally. This
is 26 per cent fewer than the
peak year. 1888. The total pop
ulation of all federal prisons is
now about the same as in that
year. a little more than 1900.
Apparently there is now a
smaller proportion of the
hardened, intractable. desperate
type who need the Alcatraz
treatment.
The chief reasons Alcatraz
is so costly r that it requires
one custodian to every two
prisoners (instead of one to
five as in other prisonsl and
pressing their displeasure pub
licly and privately. and Repub-
licans are joining them in the
opinion that Johnson is a no