Prison Agent.—William J. Mullen, who has for several years been under appointment by the Inspectors of the County Prison, and also by our Society as “Prison Agent,” has been as indefatigable in the discharge of his duties during the past year as heretofore. His particular
province is to take cognizance of, and inquire into all cases of alleged oppressive and illegal commitments to the County Prison; and in the course of his investigations he frequently procures conclusive evidence that individuals have been committed on charges which were utterly groundless, or at least frivolous and insufficient. From his interesting Annual Report, embracing the year 1861, just issued, we learn that he investigated 2,700 cases during the year, and with the co-operation of the constituted authorities, succeeded in liberating 1,182 of these from prison. He seems to have devoted his whole life and energies to this service, the duties of which he discharges with great fidelity.
Prison Library.—The Library at the Penitentiary now contains about 2,900 volumes, of which about 680 are in the German and French languages. The selection has been made with a view to furnishing interesting and instructive reading, adapted to the various capacities and tastes of the prisoners; and it is satisfactory to be able to report that the books are extensively used. The number of volumes loaned during last year was about 20,000. When we remember that the average number in confinement during the year was not over 458, many of whom were very degraded and ignorant, and wholly unable to read when they entered, it becomes in our view, an interesting feature of our system of discipline, not only that the opportunity for mental exercise and enjoyment should be so freely presented, but that these poor creatures should feel the inclination to avail themselves of it so largely, whether it be for mere amusement or for instruction. There is also a smaller Library at the County Prison of a similar character.
Number in the Penitentiary in 1861.—The entire number of prisoners in the Penitentiary during the year
1861, was 646. The largest number at any one time was 485, and the smallest 431. The state of health amongst them was generally good, and the per centage of mortality exceedingly small, there having been only two deaths.
Prison Society’s Visitors and Visiting.—We now come to speak of what, under all considerations, is, we believe, the most important part of the action and services of the Society—that which is accomplished through the agency of the Visiting Committees. To give to those who have not been on the appointment a clear view of the manner and extent of the action in this direction, it may be best to mention the preliminary arrangements. At the Annual Meeting of the Society forty-four members are elected, who, with the officers ex-officio, form the “Acting Committee.” After the election, this Committee organizes and subdivides itself into two Visiting Committees, one of them allotted to the County Prison, and the other to the Eastern Penitentiary. These sub-Committees next organize and allot to each of the members a certain division, or portion of a block or corridor, containing only such a number of cells as will admit of his paying frequent visits to each of the inmates. The Committees hold meetings monthly, at which time each member is expected to make a report of the number of visits he has paid to the prison, and the number of interviews he has had with the prisoners, particularly designating such as took place inside of the prisoners cell, which interviews are considered to be much more likely to be serviceable than those at the cell door. When any thing of especial interest occurs, it is expected also to be added to the report. The reports, at least as regards the Penitentiary Committee, are required by the rules to be in writing, and 182 of such reports have been made
by them during the year just past, giving an account of 776 visits to the Penitentiary, and of an aggregate of 8942 interviews with the prisoners--6149 of which were inside of the cells, and 2793 at the cell doors. These interviews are believed to average about fifteen minutes in length, though each case is governed by its own circumstances. With some, very little more than a friendly salutation seems called for, as there is no ground to work upon, with hope of being serviceable; while, with others, a half hour, or in some instances even an hour, may be profitably spent. In performing these visits with the hope of doing good, it is deemed essential to approach the prisoner in a spirit of kindness, and thus convince him that, although the world may have cast him off, and notwithstanding the degraded condition to which his crimes and depredations on society have brought him, there is one at least who cares for his soul, and who feels that, although he has justly forfeited his liberty, he is still a fellow being, and a candidate for Divine Mercy, and therefore entitled to such a measure of the common comforts of life as the law allows him. When the prisoner, by this means, becomes fully assured that the visitor has no sinister purpose in view, but is alone prompted by desires for his good, he becomes willing to hear freely, even if he does not assent to the importance of such counsel as may be addressed to him. Under these circumstances, the visits sometimes become deeply interesting occasions, both to the visitor and the visited. Here, where no human eye sees, and no human ear hears them, the overshadowings of Divine Love are sometimes witnessed to soften that heart which had been so long hardened, that even the criminal himself had believed that it would never again be susceptible of feeling; and the visitor acknowledges that, through the
same influence which softened the heart of the prisoner, he has been enabled to hand forth counsel suited to the case before him. Some of these interviews, are mere kindly, social opportunities, in which no religious instruction is attempted. The prisoners are encouraged to be obedient to the rules of the prison, and respectful in their deportment toward the officers; and in the daily reverent reading of the Holy Scriptures, and committing portions of them to memory. They are also recommended to adopt and maintain habits of cleanliness, both in their persons and cells, which is entirely in their power, as each one has a hydrant at his command.
Those who have had little or no school education, are urged to avail themselves of the opportunity now afforded them, through the aid of the teachers employed by the Institution, to acquire a knowledge which will not only prove a source of enjoyment, but will be of real service to them after leaving the prison walls. The results in some instances are remarkable. Our space, however, will only admit of a short reference to two cases, which are by no means solitary ones. One visitor reports—“No. 4186, when I first visited him, did not know the letters of the alphabet. He said he had tried to learn and could not. I persuaded him to make another attempt, and endeavored to impress upon his mind the necessity of at least learning to read his Bible, that he might learn his duty and regulate his future life. He did make the attempt, and can now read and write very well.” No. 4340, a German prisoner, at the time of his entrance into the penitentiary, could not read or write a word in the English language. Fifteen months afterwards he could read in our language with such facility, that he rarely met with words which he could not understand, and much of his English writing was beautiful. The
Visiting Committee of the Penitentiary appoints a sub-Committee to attend to the cases about to be discharged by the expiration of their terms of confinement. It is their duty to see each prisoner before the expiration of his term, to inquire generally into his condition and prospects, give him such counsel as to his future course as seems to them suitable, supply him with such articles of clothing as he requires, sometimes to give small sums of money for their immediate necessities, and to aid them in obtaining employment, or to get to their friends, as the case may call for. Some of the more hopeful among them are encouraged to write to the Committee, informing as to the manner of their getting along, &c. They occasionally receive very satisfactory letters.