JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE
ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH
ANNUAL REPORT
1787. OF 1901. “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.”
In the beginning of this Twentieth Century the public mind seems to have given more thought to the reformation of the prisoner, and his care after he goes out, rather than to the security of bolts and bars to hold him for the limited time. The march of progress is to treat him more like a man capable of being partially educated and taught some craft that he may follow when the sentence is ended or when paroled.
To this end, the statute law of our Commonwealth allowing only a small per centage of convicts to be employed, has been a drawback to progress, until all the Boards of Inspectors and Wardens (influenced by public opinion) have had the courage to use their better judgment. Convicts in our penitentiaries should, if physically able, be required to labor, both on the grounds of health, and of sound public policy, and such labor should as far as practicable, be such as will aid in paying the entire cost of their keeping. Military discipline and prison discipline—and still more, prison science—are essentially unlike, for one deals with men in the mass, while the other individualizes to the finest possible point.
Thirty-five years ago there was almost a complete indifference in the public mind concerning the reformation of prisoners, but now, the progress of the times seems to be fast changing sentiment, and leading onward to the requirements of a stated law making our penitentiaries more of a reformatory nature; prisoners classified, merit of grades, and employment in manual work for health. No doubt many of our prisons and county jails would require inexpensive additional buildings for reformatory plans; this would give work for many of the convicts under proper direction. It may be said that at the Eastern Penitentiary there is no room for additional buildings; but where there is a will, a way is generally found, though the space might be a little cramped and exclude a part of the current of air over the roofs of the present plant.
The Eastern Penitentiary has at this date, January 1st, 1,115 prisoners in 750 cells, which cells are intended for one prisoner each. So we see how our long-cherished cellular or separate system of Pennsylvania (still on the statute book) is fast passing into the congregate, though all foreign countries are even now following our former plan as the best.
Our prison Wardens, Chaplains, and Official Visitors by their oft personal visitations in the cells, have done faithful work endeavoring to reform the morals of the men, but after all, only a small percentage can be determined as really reformed from crooked ways, for many return a second or more times. Much of the kindly suggestions and godly teachings are lost to the official visitor by having to address two or more in a cell at one time, at the Eastern Penitentiary. Therefore, the sooner we arrive at the introduction of the Reformatory System, (known as such) and applied to all our penal institutions, the more hopeful for all our charges and benefit to the community in general.
The Reformatory System has four main principles as established in Massachusetts. 1st. Classification and advancement by merit. 2nd. Education and Sloyd work. 3rd. Trades and manual training. 4th. Parole and care of those discharged.
This State has not yet introduced a Parole System, though such a law has twice been passed by the Legislature and vetoed by different Governors. At the beginning of this century, the bill appears for the third time, but it is not intended to affect those now in custody.
An Indeterminate sentence law is still a future possibility of the new century. At the last National Prison Congress of Wardens and State Delegates held at Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 1900, the Indeterminate Sentence System, was unanimously recommended.