8 inches by 4. In each of these are locked up at night sometimes three or four felons.”
“In many gaols, and most bridewells, there is no allowance of bedding or straw for prisoners to sleep on, and if by any means they get a little, it is not changed for months together, so that it is offensive and almost worn to dust. Some lie upon rags, some upon the bare floor.”
In the County Gaol at Carlisle,—in one room, he states,—“I saw three men and four women lodged together.”
In the County Gaol at Gloucester, “there is no separation of the women…. The licentious intercourse of the sexes is shocking to decency and humanity. Many children are born in this gaol.” Many similar instances of a violation of the rules of virtue and decency are recorded by him.
Evil of Association.—Howard early became sensible of the great evil of associating together prisoners of all ages, and of all grades of criminality, and frequently deplored its corrupting influences upon the young and less hardened and practised in the ways of crime; and he remarked that even debtors, when associated with the felons (as they frequently were), soon became equally depraved with the worst of the criminals. Seeing this, he urged separation, at night, as essential, and at all times as desirable; but he does not seem to have matured any plan of thorough separation, by which alone these influences could be effectually guarded against.
Beside from the first, communicating freely the wrongs which he discovered, as they came to his knowledge, in the year 1777 he published, in a large volume, his “State of the Prisons.” Thus the world was put in
possession of facts, many of them of so horrible a character as to awaken an intense interest, and enlist the sympathies of the benevolent on behalf of the victims of such wrongs, many of whom were really not guilty of crimes to warrant their incarceration; and even when guilty, they were still human beings, objects of divine mercy, and though they had by their conduct forfeited their liberty, if the makers of the laws, and those appointed to administer them, did not feel the force of the Christian obligation, to endeavor to promote their reform and to care for their souls, it was but reasonable to suppose that the common impulses of humanity would have prompted to extend to them at least as much kindness and bodily comfort, as are admitted to be due to the “beasts that perish.”
Prompt action for relief.—By the year 1787, therefore, society generally throughout the civilized world saw the necessity of a thorough reform, and legislators were prepared to listen to and favorably consider, propositions to enact laws, adapted to a wiser and more humane policy, and consequently our Society was organized at a time peculiarly favorable for the beneficent labors it contemplated; and as an evidence of the promptness with which these labors were commenced and practically carried out, for the relief of unjust suffering, it may be noted, that at the very first meeting, information being received through a member, that although an order had been issued three days before from the Supreme Executive Council, that a person who had been sentenced to death, but had been pardoned, should be released from his irons, they still remained on him, the subject was referred to an appropriate committee, who took instant and successful measures to relieve the prisoner from his fetters, and effect his discharge from confinement.
Early contribution to the cause.—As a very gratifying practical endorsement and encouragement, received by the young Society, just one year after its establishment, it is proper to mention, that John Dickinson and wife, then of Wilmington, Delaware (but previously of Pennsylvania), by deed, dated in May, 1788, after reciting the formation of the Society, and expressing their desire to promote its benevolent designs, granted to the Institution some yearly ground rents, issuing out of premises in Philadelphia, amounting in the whole to fourteen pounds ten shillings ($38⅔) per annum, which sum (though not in its original form), still contributes that much towards meeting our annual expenditures. Several other benevolent individuals have, at different periods since, contributed liberally towards our funds, both by bequest and donation.
Considerations in relation to Penal System.—There is no reason to believe that the Society, when it first entered on its benevolent labors, contemplated directing its efforts towards the introduction of any new system, or effecting any general change in the then prevailing principles of prison discipline; but as their arrangements for securing efficient and comprehensive action within their own body embraced from the outset, a standing committee to visit the prisons and prisoners, they not only carefully examined and considered the provisions of the penal laws, but they had full opportunity of observing their practical operation upon the prisoners, and also of judging whether the gaols were so constructed and arranged as to adapt them to their proper purposes. On entering the prisons, the Committee saw in close association those of the various ages, from the comparatively far advanced in life, down to mere children; and from those long practised and utterly hardened in crime,