NEW JERSEY PRISON INQUIRY COMMISSION.
This Commission was appointed according to the provisions of a bill of the legislature of the State passed in January, 1917. By January 1, 1918, the Commission had prepared an elaborate report of 822 pages giving a history and description of the prisons and penal methods of the State, and also presenting their recommendations.
The historical record in general indicates a series of failures rather than of successes in penal administration. The so-called “Pennsylvania system,” the “Auburn Plan,” the method of contract labor, the State-Use plan, the Parole work, the efforts at Reformation, the partisan Boards, all have their share of more or less condemnation.
The student of penology, however, will discover in this record encouraging tendencies which may ultimately bring about a higher type of treatment of those who go astray.
The Commission believes in giving the largest opportunities for work in the open air and regards with detestation the “vicious rule of silence.”
Their discussion with regard to the merits and demerits of a Central Board of Control of all correctional institutions is deeply interesting and illuminating. They have come to the conclusion that a “system may be devised which will give to the State of New Jersey the benefits of a centralized control of its correctional system as a whole, but which will still leave to the separate institutions the advantages of the personal interest and devotion which have been such important factors in their development.” To accomplish this purpose, they recommend the appointment of a Central Board by the Governor, who without compensation, shall have a general power of supervision and visitation of all correctional institutions. The local boards are to be continued with authority to manage the several institutions to which they are attached.
The principal recommendation of this Commission is to advise the appointment of this Central Board with whom should be vested the power to readjust, harmonize and improve the entire penal system of the State.