Food is purchased by contract, and the county allows the prison authorities to expend as much as 20 cents daily for each inmate.
Whoever has power to order repairs ought to get busy. We understand the grand jury usually calls attention to the urgent need of improvements, but their suggestions are unheeded. It is poor economy to allow these unwholesome conditions to continue.
LEHIGH COUNTY.
Farmers are encouraged in this county, as labor is scarce, to apply to the parole officer for the privilege of employing some prisoners who can be recommended. Thus, some twenty-five men have been released to work on farms. The results appear to be satisfactory. The men receive wages and the county is not charged with supporting them in comparative idleness. Some of the men are employed in carpet weaving and rug-making, the profit on which in 1916 was $1,500.
When the law providing for the release of prisoners held for fines on condition of paying the charges by instalments was approved, the Court and parole officers immediately put the law to practical use. Within eight weeks the sum of $2,600 was collected on this account—an amount more than saved, since otherwise the men would have been maintained at the expense of the county and not one cent would have been received.
We trust that by this time the new entrance planned for access to the apartments of the women prisoners has been constructed. Heretofore the women have been obliged to file through a corridor occupied by the men, a custom salutary for neither men nor women.
The work of probation, parole, non-support, truancy and collection of fines under the recent law is all administered from one central office by a general officer with assistants. On the ground of economy and practical results, we commend this policy to other counties.
Percentage of efficiency raised from 60 per cent. to 70 per cent.
LUZERNE COUNTY.
As is frequently the custom of county prisons, this prison contains both prisoners committed by the county court and also the city misdemeanants. The city prisoners have been allowed to work outside on the county farm. The authorities have not been willing to assume the responsibility for paroling the county prisoners for outside work. It is quite possible that in the spring of 1918 they may take action under the special legislation of the late Assembly.