Pennsylvania Prison Society

“ In its early years, the Society consistently and persistently urged the adoption of a system of employment whereby each prisoner alone in his cell should perform his task in some industrial pursuit. It was never intended that the prisoners should be kept entirely secluded from all human companionship, but that the officers should see them frequently and that concerned visitors, under proper supervision, should be allowed to talk with them and endeavor to point them to the better way. ”

“ They are in charge of the Borstal Association whose agents, aided by those of over 60 County Societies for the aid of discharged prisoners, have an eye, a very watchful eye, upon them and who report frequently to the Association, and a glance at their records, absolutely the most complete, concise and convenient imaginable, one can be familiar with the whole history of any individual. These records show, among multitudinous other things, that aid is frequently required to establish a boy as a self-supporting, self-respecting member of decent society. ”

“ While visiting the cells in the Central Station, City Hall, I always feel a great responsibility resting upon me. I feel that a word spoken in kindness and love may awaken thoughts of the days of innocence and inspire them to endeavor to regain what they had lost. ”

“ Thoughtful students of humanitarian measures began investigations in one State after another, with the result that at the present time scarcely one State in the Union maintains such a system. But while Pennsylvania has led the way in many measures to reform the criminal and improve his condition, some States have made more rapid progress in these directions. Many States offer greater opportunities in their prisons for industrial employment than we can show in Pennsylvania. Most of the States have preceded us in the adoption of a Parole and a Probation system for adult convicts. ”

“ Such records would have an incalculable value to us, if carefully kept by the Authorities or Prison Associations of the different States. In many places we are applying new systems, or old systems to new conditions. New problems are almost bound to arise, as the hordes of immigrants, reaching our shores daily, have their effect on the national type, and without exact data as to the cause of the failure of any system little can be done to better it, and a better weapon to induce legislation, not to speak of individual and corporate assistance in our work, would be hard to imagine. ”

“ One of the most excellent progressive movements of the period is that which looks to a reform in the prison system and strives to convert criminals into good citizens, useful to themselves, their families and society. ”

“ When the new system shall have been operative for a reasonable period, men who have ‘done their time’ will re-enter the world possessed of training that will enable them to maintain themselves in honesty. Many a discharged criminal relapses into crime because society has so ordered his punishment as to make reform practically so difficult as to be almost impossible. ”

“ Delicate or defective physique of any sort makes it impossible. How to make a cripple or a boy with a weak heart into a self-supporting man within the limits of the short sentence such unfortunates usually receive, is very hard to see. It is too short a time to learn a trade and even the English authorities are ridiculously hampered by laws preventing convict labor excepting upon articles for State use, so that what is learned at prison is of little value out of it.... ”

“ No punishment could be more severe, and if punishment is the chief object of our penal system, it is certainly secured by Pennsylvania law. It is a system, however, which belongs to an age long since past, when the reformation of the criminal had little or no consideration. ”

“ The visitor, however, will have much occasion for dissatisfaction on finding that the majority of the convicts are without employment, but this is no fault of the Inspectors, who are charged with the administration of the affairs of the prison; the law of the State is at fault in that it limits to 35 per cent. of the whole number of convicts those who may be employed in any of the trades, and, as a consequence, the greater number of men are compelled to remain idle. ”

“ Reports of the Members of the Acting Committee, appointed to visit the Eastern Penitentiary, show that during the year 1911 6405 visits to prisoners have been made. Many unreported visits have gladdened the prisoner in his lonely cell. Several of our members participate in the Gospel services on the Sabbath.
One of the prisoners remarked to the Secretary that in his opinion the work of visitation was the most important function of the Society. This has been the most effective part of our work from the first. Some of the men’s blocks are not visited so often as would be desirable. ”

“ In various parts of the country this Society maintains farms, at which work is given to ex-prisoners, and where they are assisted in every way on the road to reform.
PRISON GATE MISSION, SALVATION ARMY, NEW YORK CITY.
“Good substantial clothing is given us from time to time that generally meets the needs of the people with whom we deal.”
They maintain industrial homes at which the opportunity is given to labor for their best welfare. They are doing wonderful work, the importance of which defies statistics. They are not directly connected with the “Parole Work.” ”

“ But the life at Borstal is not all work and no play for the Prison Commissioners have recognized that if a youth must work well it is essential that he play well, so recreation has not been forgotten. ”

“ No person who is not an official visitor of the prison, or who has not a written permission, according to such rules as the Inspectors may adopt as aforesaid, shall be allowed to visit the same; the official visitors are: the Governor, the Speaker and members of the Senate; the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives; the Secretary of the Commonwealth; the Judges of the Supreme Court; the Attorney-General and his Deputies; the President and Associate Judges of all the courts in the State; the Mayor and Recorders of the cities of Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Pittsburg ”

“ It is an important duty to visit the prisoners near the close of their time of incarceration, and to learn from them with regard to their hopes and fears. Then, if ever, they need sympathetic attention. Many of them have friends or homes ready to receive them, but there are others who need more than a suit of clothes and a parting word of good wishes. We endeavor to find employment for such as these unfortunate ones, and, while in many cases we have succeeded, there is a remnant who are not strong enough to face the temptations of the outer world. ”

“ The exhibition of a suit of striped clothing to a prisoner or the mere mention of a possibility of his being compelled to wear one, has been found sufficient in most cases to subdue and bring the most obdurate prisoners to terms.
There is a library of about 5,000 volumes. Each prisoner being furnished with a catalogue is permitted to select as many as 2 or 3 books a week, the keepers often kindly assisting in making suitable selections. Two or three men are constantly employed in the care of the library and in rebinding the books, which become much soiled or in need of rebinding. ”

“ As a rule, prisoners discharged from city prisons, jails, lock-ups, etc., are not supplied with clothing, and when they apply to the Society for the Friendless their wants are supplied and an effort is made to furnish them with employment. ”

“ In this place, since 1903, the Prison Commissioners have conducted experiments with regard to young male prisoners from which they have evolved the system to which the old prison has given its name.
“In reality, it is an attempt by the State, to rescue young persons from a life of crime and fit them for an honest industrial life. ”

“ There is a Prison Society at Portland, Maine, which gives help to prisoners discharged from the County Jail. The clothing is solicited and no money is paid except for expenses of lodging and transportation. ”

“ All his antecedents and capabilities are inquired into; his education, knowledge, trades, his tastes, etc., are carefully tabulated and everything, little though it be, is taken note of for the purposes of guiding the Authorities in directing the young man’s future. Thus, if he has any knowledge of a trade and wishes to continue it he is put straight at it; if he has none, but appears a likely youth for a certain job, he is put to that job at once. ”

“ In the case of all those who come to us from the Cook County Jail and the Chicago House of Correction, and do not receive clothing or discharge money, we sometimes fit them out with better clothing, but this is usually cast off clothing given to us by friends. ”

“ It will be seen that work, education and play all have a part in the life at Borstal but religion is not forgotten and I know of no religious service more impressive than some of those I have taken part in at this institution. ”

“ Should he be an ignorant and hopeless kind of youth for whom training and discipline, smartness, etc. is necessary, he is put among those who do the housecleaning, etc., where he must work neatly, and be quick. Every Borstalian gets physical 26 drill every morning for one-half hour and one hour’s gymnasium three times a week when no fooling is allowed, for whether it be physical drill or gymnastics, work or play, he must do his share, perform all the exercises, every one of which has been carefully planned for developing his physical and mental smartness. ”

“ It has not been found necessary to inflict any punishment so far, except in two cases: 8 in one case where a prisoner had neglected to keep his mess-pan clean, he lost two meals; in another case, a prisoner who neglected his work was for three days deprived of his meat. The principal trades are weaving and shoemaking, trades which may be carried on in cells to advantage. The health of the prisoners continues good. ”

“ Be it enacted, &c., That any person designated by law to be official visitor of any jail, penitentiary, or other penal or reformatory institution, in this Commonwealth, maintained at the public expense, is hereby authorized and empowered to enter and visit any such jail, penitentiary, or other penal or reformatory institution, on any and every day, including Sundays, between the hours of nine o’clock, ante meridian, and five o’clock, post meridian ”

“ Wednesday and Thursday are bathing days, and each prisoner is required to take a bath at least once a week unless the physician certifies that the condition of the prisoner’s health 21 would render bathing inexpedient. A change of bedding and underclothing is supplied to each prisoner on every Saturday.
Office of Administration, Philadelphia County Prison for Convicts, at Holmesburg
About 200 of the prisoners are employed in various trades, in carpentering 7, on tin work 2, making mattresses 2, as tailors 14, shoemakers 20, making brushes 10. ”

“ Education is not forgotten, for no sooner does he join the institution than he begins to receive five hours tuition each week; nor is he released from this until he can pass examinations which prove him able to read with comparative ease, write intelligibly and do simple figuring. ”

“ The women’s block is said to be over-visited. Several organizations have the privilege of sending visitors to the twenty-seven women now incarcerated, and while visitors are welcomed at suitable times and under proper conditions, yet it is readily recognized that these prisoners of the women’s block should have sufficient time to attend to their regular, but not onerous, duties as assistants in various lines of domestic employment. ”

“ About 18 men are employed in connection with this weaving. There are in the same apartment 24 stocking weaving machines, employing one man each. About 20 find employment in the laundry, and beside these there are about 70 men employed in various duties, to wit: 14 men in cooking, 14 in the bake house, 6 in the boiler room, etc. The men employed in these various engagements have their meals in a dining room apart from the other prisoners, a room having 6 tables, seating 12 each. ”

“ Shall we not send such as these to a farm under control of the State, where they will have opportunity to work in the open air, and be retained in some kind of semi-detention until they have made good? ”

“ This Act also gives power to the Prison Commissioners to discharge on license, such offenders as they think fitted for conditional liberty, but no license can be granted until the offender has served at least six months of his sentence and every offender whether he is released on license or has served his complete sentence, remains after his discharge under the supervision of the Prison Commissioners for several months. ”

“ Eight barrels of flour are converted into bread every day, excepting on Sunday, a double quantity being baked on Saturday. The number of loaves baked averages about 900 daily, the weight of each being 2 pounds, this being a proportion of something more than one loaf a day to each prisoner, and it is worth while to add that the bread is uniformly baked and of unimpeachable quality. ”

“ Where a man is employed in some special occupation, he needs extra clothing, such as waiter’s outfit, rubber boots for sea, overalls, etc., and 34 where he is needy, change of underwear, socks, extra shirt, etc. ”

“ Very often he secures the release of young prisoners by promptly communicating with parents or relatives, who assume responsibility for the offender. Thus many first offenders are turned from the error of their ways by this timely attention, and escape the schooling in crime which they would inevitably receive by further association with hardened criminals. ”

“ We believe this Association gets an appropriation from the State amounting to $2500 per annum. They assist in the “Parole Work.”
PRISON LEAGUE OF AMERICA.
This organization, under the efficient control of Maud Ballington Booth, in results attained, stands at the head of all Prisoners’ Aid Societies. To all ex-prisoners who apply they give clothing, work and good cheer. In Chicago they have at this time assumed sponsorship for nearly 300 prisoners. 35
“The clothing part of it is only a small part of the much we do, but it is often the very necessary part.” ”