Reading Matter for Prisoners.
The late John J. Lytle, than whom no one was more deeply interested in the welfare of prisoners, year after year by special effort solicited contributions for the purchase of periodical literature suitable for distribution to the inmates of our prisons. A journal known as “Sabbath Reading,” issued weekly, was selected, a periodical judiciously edited and full of wholesome and instructive matter presented in an attractive style. This periodical has been hailed with enthusiastic appreciation. We have reason to believe that it is very generally read. Regret has been expressed when we felt obliged to curtail the number distributed. Calls are numerous these days, and our charitable friends are straining their resources to the utmost to meet the various demands for worthy purposes. Should this work, however, appeal especially to any of our friends, we will gladly apply any funds for this specific purpose.
PENAL LEGISLATION OF 1917 IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.
The County Industrial Farm, Workhouse and Reformatory Act of 1917.
Under this Act the State is to be divided into Nine Districts, in each of which is to be established an Industrial Farm to which prisoners sentenced to serve terms in county jails are to be sent. Each Institution is to be managed by a Board of Trustees which shall be composed of one county commissioner from each county of the district, to be appointed by the judge of Quarter Sessions.
The members of the first Board of Trustees shall be appointed to serve until the expiration of their respective terms of office as county commissioners. Each Board of Trustees is hereby authorized to select a suitable site for such Industrial Farm and to make arrangements for the erection and equipment of the necessary buildings. The Farm is not to exceed five hundred acres in extent. The buildings are to be “plain and inexpensive in character,” and the labor as far as possible is to be supplied by the convicts committed to said institution.
The ninth section of the Act provides that the court of Quarter Sessions in any county “may, in its discretion, transfer from the county jails and prisons, respectively, to such penal farm those who have been sentenced to the county prison for any crime, misdemeanor, or felony (murder and voluntary manslaughter excepted),” and also those detained for non-payment of fines and costs, or for non-support; in fact, any persons legally confined in the county jails except those who are held for trial. And hereafter the court may, in its discretion, send those convicted as above directly to said Industrial Farm.
Resources of the Site.
As far as practicable the selection of the site for the farm shall have reference to its advantages for various forms of husbandry, fruit-growing, stock-raising, for brick-making, for the preparation of road and paving material, and shall have good railroad, drainage, sewage and water facilities. The prisoners are to be employed in work “on or about the buildings and farm” in raising stock and supplies for the use of said institution and for the use of other public and charitable institutions in the District.
“All road material, brick, tile and concrete prepared” at these farms not needed for the purposes of the institution, shall be offered for sale at a price to be fixed by the Board of Trustees, the proceeds to be applied towards paying the overhead expenses of said institution.