THE TREND OF LEGISLATION
Most legislative sessions for 1911 are now through or nearly so. Certain general tendencies have been prominent in prison and correctional legislation. The problems of prison labor have been prominent in California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, New York and some other states. The trend of legislation is strongly toward the introduction or strengthening of the state-use system. Legislative inquiries into alleged mal-administration have been instituted in several states. The question of corporal punishment has been under investigation in Michigan. The Review will give the results of these investigations, but believes it inadvisable to print statements and comments prior to official findings.
Legislatures have been asked in many
states, notably Wisconsin, Indiana, California, New York, to consider the establishment of new kinds of correctional institutions for tramps and vagrants, or for inebriates, or for young misdemeanants. The health of prisoners attracts increasing attention, as well as their mental conditions.