The reports to the court showed that home conditions had improved; that men had abstained from the use of intoxicating liquors; that employers had been enlisted in taking a more friendly interest in employees; that men had joined churches and in other ways added to a higher standard of living.
This touch of humanity in the administration of justice in a criminal court was not only a profitable investment so far as the public was concerned, but better than all, it made possible the social regeneration of thousands of men and women.
THE INDUSTRIAL FARM
If results are ever obtained in the handling of unfortunates it will be through right treatment. There must be a thorough investigation before the stain of prison life sentence is passed. In a great percentage of the cases for minor offences, rather than a workhouse sentence, these unfortunates require nothing more than a dismissal with a friendly word of encouragement from the court. Or, if in the judgment of the courts they need supervision, they should be turned over to a practical probation officer who will see to it that it is not necessary to commit them to imprisonment. A prisoner should never be committed to jail to serve time. The average jails of this country are a disgrace to civilization and are cesspools for the breeding of diseases and crime. Many of the cases that come to the police and criminal courts for minor offences only require supervision, change of surroundings and a new home. Institutional treatment should be the last remedy. What we must do, is to abolish the fixed sentence and de-institutionalize our institutions, and, finally, these people must be made to feel whether in an institution or out of one they are working for home-making.
Modern penology must not be sentimental; it should be practical. Then we must have prevention, which is formation, not reformation; for 95 per cent. of our subjects in the penal institutions and reformatories of the country have never been correctly formed in their mental and physical make-up.
Modern penology, in order to aid social progress, must sentence its unkempt, immoral and diseased citizens to an indefinite term of sunshine, fresh air and honest work, with such system as will make of them an asset rather than a liability when returned to society. Modern penology must be able to say that if this cannot be done, then sterilization or definite isolation on the farm must be provided. Modern penology, in addition to all this, must impress upon society the importance of ideal administration for its wayward subjects; that of humane, educated and trained employees in all departments of our penal institutions.
We are attempting at the District of Columbia Farm to lay the foundation and inaugurate a system that will be practical, a system where the inmates will not suffer by having too much done for them, a system where the inmates must be made to feel, whether in an institution or out of it, that there is work for them to do individually.
We believe that beneficial results cannot be successfully maintained in the old-time prisons with high walls, locks and bars; we believe that walls must come down and the locks and bars go to the scrap pile. We believe that for every bar of restriction removed, more rays of sunlight and hope will reach the heart of the convicted man.
With these preliminary thoughts, I will now briefly describe the District of Columbia Farm, which less than four years ago was a wilderness in the hills of Virginia, 20 miles south of Washington, D. C. The farm consists of 1150 acres of land, costing the General Government $18 per acre.
On this land we have constructed some 30 buildings, consisting of dormitories, dining rooms, lounging halls, hospital, horse and dairy barns. These are all one-story buildings, and are built of wood, with a view of giving ample light and ventilation. The plan for the prisoners is that of the congregate or dormitory system, having no cells, locks or bars about the institution. Two hundred prisoners are taken care of during the night in each dormitory, and as we have 600 male prisoners this requires three buildings. Cots are arranged side by side in these dormitories on raised platforms. Sufficient bedding, consisting of mattress, sheets and pillows, blankets and comforts are given to each prisoner. All the buildings are steam-heated and electric-lighted and have ample water, both hot and cold, in each of the buildings, with a modern and up-to-date sewerage system.