Read Ebook: The Review Vol. 1 No. 12 December 1911 by Various National Prisoners Aid Association Publisher

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The Prussian compulsory workhouse, Brauweiler, is most attractively located in a renovated cloister, the original buildings of which are 1,000 years old. The spacious rooms, the impressive arched corridors, the striking central courts of the cloister as well as the well preserved cloister church dating back to the tenth century, are all impressive and even awe-inspiring. The workhouse prisoners eat in cloistered passages where 500 years ago the monks had their daily meals. The prisoners worship in a church used by royalty and nobles at the time of the crusades. Even a spreading mulberry tree in one of the court yards, furnishing shade from time to time for some of the inmates, was planted a thousand years ago by the founders of the monastery. In Rummelsburg, adjacent to Berlin, the walled workhouse embraces ample grounds, a spacious garden and attractive buildings. At Veenhuizen in Holland, the heath has been made to blossom like the rose and no finer views of Holland scenery can be found than those in the midst of the 7,000 acres embraced by the colony.

In short, one of the important lessons taught by the colonies and the workhouses is that there is in tramps and vagrants a very large amount of latent productivity, which directed normally and under conditions offering the least resistance can be made financially profitable to the state.

GOVERNOR WEST'S PRISON POLICY

There has been much comment in the papers and magazines lately regarding Governor West's prison policy; some of which has been written in a friendly spirit, some of it in a spirit of criticism, and some of it, while undoubtedly written in a friendly spirit, has, because of insufficient information, had rather the result of putting the governor and his policies in a false light.

Some of these writers, probably with the best intentions, have given the impression that Governor West's policy flashed upon the unmitigated horrors of the Oregon state penitentiary like a flash of lightning out of a clear sky, without any preparation or previous warning. If this had been true, it would probably have resulted only in disaster, as far as the policy is concerned, and in making the governor appear rash and inconsiderate, if not ridiculous.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Governor West knew perfectly well what he was doing, and, so far as I have been able to judge, he has been eminently wise in his reforms. He has not entered into this work without having given a great deal of study to its problems, and he seems to have a large fund of information regarding the conditions he is trying to meet.

The fact is that the change in the prison policy began in the spring of 1903. At that time conditions were just about as bad as they have been pictured. The generosity of the people of the state of Oregon did not go to the length of furnishing the prisoners in the penitentiary even such common necessities as socks and underclothing. Flogging was common, and the hose, no less terrible as a punishment than the whip, was considered a necessity in the government of the penitentiary. There was no common dining room, and the men lived, slept, cooked and ate in their cells. An exceedingly limited and coarse fare was provided by the state, but the prisoner who had money could send out and purchase provisions, which he could cook in his cell over a small oil stove. The prisoner who had no money had to content himself with dry bread and bean soup flavored with the smell from the cooking of his more fortunate neighbor. Sanitary conditions were shockingly bad, and at one time resulted in a large number of cases of typhoid fever. The spirit of the inmates was exceedingly dangerous, as witnessed by the fact that the officers of the prison considered it unsafe to go among the men without a guard. The Tracy-Merrill outbreak was a fair sample of the spirit of the institution at that time.

On April 1, 1903, C. W. James as superintendent and Frank C. Curtis as warden, appointees of Governor George E. Chamberlain, took charge of affairs at the prison. They proceeded cautiously, but with a marked advance in their treatment of the prisoners.

The striped clothing formerly worn by the prisoners was abolished, except as a mark of disgrace for infraction of the prison rules. Flogging was abolished by act of the legislature. Necessary underclothing was furnished the prisoners. A dining room was built and cooking in the cells was stopped. The sanitary conditions were improved. An orchestra and band were organized among the prisoners. A parole officer was provided, whose duties were practically that of chaplain. A prisoners' aid society was organized, which looked after the welfare of the prisoners, both before and after release. A printing office was donated by the prisoner's aid society, and the publication of a small monthly paper by the prisoners and in their interest was begun. This paper was known as "Lend a Hand," and has now a circulation that reaches across the continent. An innovation worthy of special mention was the permission of baseball games between clubs of the prisoners, which the prisoners were not only permitted to witness, but they were allowed to cheer and "root" to their heart's content. These and various other reforms which were inaugurated during the eight years previous to Governor West's inauguration laid the foundation for the success of his policies.

Great as had been the changes before the term of Governor West began, they had been spread out over a period of eight years, and while awakening considerable opposition, had not attracted much notice. When Governor West came into office, notwithstanding what had already been accomplished, he found plenty of room for improvement, and he went at it in characteristic fashion. His "honor system" was put into effect and with surprising success, if one did not know of the care with which the cases were selected to whom it should be applied. The indeterminate sentence law was passed by the last legislature, and provision was made for a parole law and a parole board to have oversight of its administration. Various advanced methods of treatment of the prisoners were adopted, prominent among which were plans for giving the prisoners a portion of their earnings. The contract system of employing the prisoners has been practically abolished, or will be as soon as the work now begun is completed.

A new auditorium has been built entirely by convict labor. A weekly moving picture entertainment is furnished the prisoners and various schemes for the improvement of their condition have been put into effect, all with the result that the burden of expense has been lightened, and the inmates have come to feel more as if they were still considered human beings. The details of these improvements are too well known to need repetition here. It but remains for me to say that, with the unusual opportunities accorded me as manager of the printing office and "Lend a Hand" to observe the effect of his policies in the working out, I am impressed not only with the spirit of Governor West, and the scope of the plans which he proposes to put into effect, but even more with the wisdom he has shown in the reforms he has undertaken.

The fundamental principle of Governor West's prison policy appears to be that "A man's a man for a' that." While he believes that prison sentences are primarily for the protection of society, he also apparently believes that the protection of society will be best accomplished by helping the prisoner regain his manhood and self-respect, and that is the keynote of his policy. I asked an "old-timer" the other day to tell me how the spirit of the inmates of the prison now compared with that of the time before these reforms began. He said: "There is no comparison; they are as different as heaven and hell."

THE WAYWARD GIRL AND THE BINET TEST

BY HENRY H. GODDARD, PH. D., AND HELEN F. HILL

It was with a good deal of interest that we accepted the offer of a prominent probation officer to examine some fifty of her girls who had been in the girls' reformatory, but were now out on probation.

Some little experience with similar groups had led us to feel confident that quite a percentage of these girls would be found to be distinctly feeble-minded, but we were not prepared for the results that we did find. In all, fifty-six girls were examined, ranging in age from fourteen to twenty, the average probably being eighteen and a half. The usual misgivings were had on the part of those who knew the girls, as to the effect of asking them to do the test, but as experience always shows, there was not the slightest difficulty. Indeed, the girls took hold of the tests with great earnestness and enjoyment, and, after they were through, were very proud of their achievements.

To appreciate the full force of this, one should see these girls and note their characteristics, their physical appearance, and those qualities and characteristics that go to make up the type of young woman--those things that make us instinctively feel that they are responsible persons and make so many persons even now refuse to believe that such can be feeble-minded, and yet here are the tests. And more than that, here is the test of life--they are unable to adjust themselves to their environment and will always be unable.

Perhaps the reader may be inclined to say, "But these tests show that they are ignorant and that it is because they have not been to school, or have not profited by their school experience." But such is not the case. These are not tests of school training; they are tests of mental development. Any person who has lived in any sort of average environment for the requisite number of years is able to do these tests, even though he has never been to school, even for a day, and by failing in these they manifest their mental defectiveness.

It begins to look as though we have been attempting to solve the problem of the wayward girl by beginning at the wrong end. We have assumed that she was competent and responsible--that she was able to do differently, if she would, and we have tried by various forms of punishment to reform her. Apparently we have been grossly in error, and it is a fundamental mistake we have made. We should have begun by finding out in early age whether this child had normal mental capacity or not and, if not, we should have taken the case in hand and provided for her such environment as would have fitted her mental condition. The past is gone, the mistakes cannot be rectified; but, if we are wise, from now on we will proceed in accordance with what we are finding out about this class of persons. Instead of enlarging our reformatories we will establish colonies and schools, where these girls can be taken, as early as we can detect them, cared for and trained to do the things they can be trained to do; where they will be made happy and allowed to live a happy and measureably useful life under the care, guidance and direction of intelligent and humane people, who will make their lives happy and partially useful, but who will insist upon the one important thing, and that is that this race should end with them; they shall never become the mothers of children who are like themselves.

THANKSGIVING IN THE CABIN

BY AUBURN, NO. 29118

De winter's come, an' de darkies shiver; De trees, dey's moanin' in de dark down by de river; We gadder in de cabin, an' we shet de door, Throw a log on de fi-ah, fo' to see hit roar, An' ole King Frost, he growl so fierce an' sore.

De old norf wind again de cabin door crashes; Possum's in de pot, and de sweet yam's in de ashes; Flitch o' bacon in de pan--lawdy, hear it frying. Hain't no sorter music dat's near so satisfyin'; Corn pone am hot an' brown--pickininnies sighin'.

Ev'rybody gadder 'round de supper table; Ev'rybody eats des as much, as much as dey is able; Lil' yaller dawg, he snug down by de fi-ah, Chewin' all de possum bones dat he could desi-ah; Seems des like we all is full o' happiness enti-ah.

Supper table's cl'ared away; pap he gits his fiddle; Ev'rybody dances--up and down de middle. When de reel am finished, den pappy plays a break-down; Rufe he double-shuffles till you'd fink de roof would shake-down; Then we pass de cider jug, and mammy brings the cake roun'.

Ev'ry darkey suttinly feels happy 'round Thanksgivin'; Lawdy, yes, dey's scrumptiously glad dat dey is livin'. Sorrer takes a day of--this hain't no time for woe-- And hit makes no diff'runce how de wind do blow.

EVENTS IN BRIEF

Men are like cigars. Often you cannot tell by the wrapper what the filler is. Sometimes a good old stogie is more popular than an imported celebrity. Some men are all right in the show-case on display, but are great disappointments when you get them home. No matter how fine a man is, eventually he meets his match. A "two-fer" often puts on as many airs as a fifty-center. Some men never get to the front at all except in campaigns. Some are very fancy outside and are selected for presents. Others have a rough exterior, but spread cheer and comfort all about them because of what is inside. But all men, as all cigars, good or bad, two-fers, stogies, rich or poor, come to ashes at last.

The bill provides for the sterilization of such criminally insane persons and defectives as in the judgment of the commission it would be wise to treat thus.

In the last year 2,195 boys, nearly all of whom had appeared in children's court, came under the influence of the big brothers; of this number only ninety had to be brought a second time before the court. Of the total, 1,208 boys were cared for by the movement in 1910; 840 more were arraigned in children's court this year on various charges; 117 came from institutions, and 1,202 applied at the office for advice or to seek employment.

All for whom places were obtained proved efficient. Permanent homes outside the city were obtained for thirty-seven, and but one could not withstand the lure of the city and moving picture shows, and returned.

To increase the output of the state nurseries of New York to 12,000,000 trees per year, the state conservation commission will establish a nursery at the Great Meadows prison at Comstock.

A class in road building, composed of more than 200 long term convicts, has been formed at the Kansas penitentiary at Lansing, and this fall and winter they will learn the fine points of highway construction and building boulevards around the prison. Next spring it is hoped to have a gang of at least 250 men, all experts, who will be put to work on the river boulevard which is to connect Leavenworth and Kansas City.

Warden John E. Hoyle, of the California state penitentiary, is planning to manufacture safes by skilled workmen serving sentences for bank robberies and safe blowing. In trying out the plan he has secured admirable results, as proof of which he displays a vault in his office which was reconstructed from worn out articles by prisoners under sentence of 10 years' imprisonment for robbing a safe. A man who is a skilled mechanic will take charge of that division of the machine shop where the manufacture of safes will be carried on.

The board makes the recommendation that prisoners of education be given instruction and a chance to study and that others be taught such things as will tend to increase their usefulness and earning capacity in the world. A plan is also recommended whereby superintendents of prisons shall keep in communication with employers to the end that when prisoners are discharged they may be given work as soon as possible.

"There may have been valid reasons for pardoning a man who has served four years in our state prison for forging checks and since then has been in the Springfield jail for another offense, but it is hardly treating our neighbors well that one of the conditions of his pardon is that he shall leave the state. If he is entitled to pardon at all he is entitled to a chance to prove that he is worthy of it in the jurisdiction where his offenses were committed. It looks too much like passing our burdens on to others. We have criticised the Italian government on the alleged charge that, instead of being at the expense and trouble of punishing its own criminals it has frequently connived at their emigration to this country. There is ethically not much difference between that and our own practices. Every state should be responsible for its own offenders. We do not want the 'undesirable citizens' from other countries or commonwealths passed upon us and doubtless other states feel the same way about it."

To the first question every warden in the United States and Canada answered "No" unequivocally, with the exception of R. W. McClaughry, warden of the government prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Colonel McClaughry was not sure, but said: "I know of one or two who may, in my opinion, have been executed wrongly."

Warden Fogarty, of the Indiana state prison, wrote: "I have no knowledge, personally, of the execution of an innocent person; however, I have no doubt whatever that some innocent men have been executed."

To the second question, however, a number of prison officials answered "Yes," qualifying their statements by answering question No. 3 with a negative answer. For instance, Warden McClaughry, of the government prison, answered, "Yes, a very few," adding, "In no case could the party have been called worthy."

Warden Alston, of Wyoming, says: "Yes. I am confident that I know of one man in our state who was convicted and sent here who was innocent. But," adds the warden, in answering No. 3, "he was of a drunken disposition, and had he been a sober man would never even have been suspected or accused."

Warden Russell, of Marquette, writes: "I don't think from my experience as a warden of this prison that the courts make many mistakes." However, Dr. Gilmour, of Toronto, answers question No. 2 "Yes," and adds as an answer to No. 3: "Most worthy, and results sadder than sad." Superintendent C. C. McClaughry, of Boonville, Mo., answers "Yes" to both No. 2 and No. 3.

Warden Fuller, of Ionia, Mich., writes: "During the seventeen years I have been warden I know of only one case of wrongful conviction for offences against property. One prisoner was sent here for stealing a cow, and another prisoner afterward confessed that he had committed the crime charged against the other man, in order to get rid of the man with whose wife he was infatuated."

Warden Fogarty, of Indiana state prison, writes: "I have not been convinced by subsequent development that any man convicted and sentenced here for a heinous crime is innocent."

The case from the western penitentiary, Pittsburgh, wherein a prisoner who served fifteen years was pardoned, was pensioned by Carnegie and heralded as innocent, is treated in the following report: "Your committee had previously taken pains to write to the warden of the prison mentioned, but the information elicited did not indicate that the prisoner had been declared innocent, but was to the effect that the man had been discharged in the usual way--on recommendation--some doubt having been raised."

The writer of the report says: "The writer has for some years made it a practice to follow up the correspondence or otherwise the most widely published and sensational accounts of hardships experienced by innocent persons under judicial conviction, and has been surprised at the meagre ground upon which such reports rest, though he finds that they are quite generally credited by the reading public.

"Perhaps his report may tend to establish confidence in the courts on the part of those who are not informed and who have neither the means nor the time, even if they have the inclination, to inform themselves, and it might be a good beginning in the effort on the part of the institutions to be understood by the public."

One of the principal subjects to be discussed relates to the need of a state reformatory for male misdemeanants between 16 and 21 years of age. Courts outside of New York city have no suitable institutions to which to commit offenders of this class. A special feature of the conference will be a stereopticon lecture on the detection and treatment of defendants who are mentally defective, by Dr. George M. Parker, psychiatric examiner for the New York prison association. Dr. Parker has lately examined large numbers of prisoners in the Tombs in New York city and has found that a large proportion are feeble minded or otherwise defective.

Other important subjects will refer to the necessity of public prosecutors in police courts, weaknesses in the present methods of securing and using court interpreters and the treatment of boys and youths convicted of illegal train riding, trespassing on railroad property and stealing from the railroads.

Transcriber's Notes

Page 2: "universally condemed" changed to "universally condemned"

Page 3: "This sysem" changed to "This system"

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