Music both vocal and instrumental, has been found to be exceedingly valuable to restoring unbalanced minds; even brass bands and orchestras have been an untold help.
The people of our State have a right to expect that its insane who are cared for at its hospitals, shall have the best medical skill and attention, and the best care that can be given them; pleasant surroundings and good dietary. To this end let us continually labor to always maintain the highest standard of care for those unfortunates.
HAVANA PRISONS, CUBA.
Urafall Muntalso, warden of Havana Prison, last fall made a tour of the most noted prisons of the United States, with a view to adopting the best points of our system in the big Government institution of Havana, of which he is the head. He spoke of Sing Sing as being so different in all its features that one would imagine the institution conducted for another purpose entirely, instead of having exactly the same object. He gave high praise to our Eastern Penitentiary as a model institution of its kind, and to Warden Bussinger as certainly conducting it in a model manner. Several times expressed that the men seemed happy and contented as possible, being detained. Cuba so many generations under Spanish rule, with ancient views for punishments of convicts—to introduce American reform would seem almost revolutionary, but it must be done.
The penal institutions heretofore embodied all the unfavorable features of solitary confinement, and with very few of the favorable features. Education and employment of convicts in prison was out of the question. The convicts simply served out their sentence, not contributing in any way to their own support. By means of the reforms contemplated this will be largely changed. The intention is to improve the sanitary condition of all the penal institutions in Cuba, to alter the buildings to modern details, the men to do the work; then as rapidly as possible the humane American features will be introduced. Since Spanish rule has been cast off, the number of criminals and of crimes committed have been lessened over one-third. The cause is attributed to its present prosperity, thousands being employed, who were long time idle, keeping them honest and out of the hands of the law.
AUSTRALIAN PRISON REFORM.
Sydney, New South Wales, and in fact all Australian prisons were of the congregate system, free association. The recently introduced system of restricted association among prisoners is being gradually extended, though distasteful to the habitual criminal. Those seeking to reform, rejoice to be cut off from the degrading companionship. Captain Neitensteen, the Controller of New South Wales Prison, says: “There is every reason to hope the new departure will improve the moral atmosphere of all the jails, and will lead to the reformation of many prisoners. Already the number committed has decreased over 600, and the more serious crimes have received a check. Female prisoners have decreased to 180 prisoners last December, the lowest number in twenty-five years. The prisoners make all the clothing, boots, etc., for the officers and inmates, beside last year they earned £20,000 in work for the various Government departments repairing buildings, etc., outside the value of labor employed in the domestic work of the various jails.
“At Bathurst a complete marble-cutting and polishing plant has been erected, occupation to a large body of men. The waste lands attached to jails are now being cultivated, giving healthy out-door work of reformatory character, and supplies the greater portion of the food.”
PRISONS IN OLD PARIS.
[FROM THE GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE.]