Dr. Bernard Glueck exhibited a number of charts showing much that
was deeply interesting in regard to the mentality, environment and
parentage of the criminals sent to Sing Sing.
“Sing Sing is being reorganized and rebuilt to receive all of the
criminals of New York for examination immediately after they have been
convicted. We are trying to get at the man behind the crime rather
than the crime itself. Two facts are very evident from our work. The
social fact is that 66 per cent. of the prisoners we have received
are previous offenders. The medical fact is that 59 per cent. of the
prisoners can be classified for mental diseases or mental deviation;
and thousands of this class can be treated and cured by means of
vocational training and other modern prison methods.
“Sing Sing is being remodeled so that we can devote as much as
four months to an intensive study of each prisoner who enters the
institution. From this examination we can learn which men should
be sent to the insane hospitals, which to the intensive vocational
schools, and can outline the most effective method of treatment
necessary to prepare the men for the future.
“The indeterminate sentence is essential to the proper working out
of our plans, and the criminal courts of the State are working in
harmony with this idea. Most offenders can be restored to a normal
life and good citizenship after they have finished a term under proper
treatment, and criminal judges in New York city tell us that fewer men
come before them for a second time since we have adopted the present
methods.
“It is the aim of the prison to turn the men into citizens with an
understanding. They are allowed many liberties, and are made to take
an active part in community life in prison. They have their own social
organization, a system of self-government, including even a charitable
society. In their charity work they aid prisoners who are leaving the
prison, make it possible for poor people to visit imprisoned relatives,
send the bodies of prisoners home for burial, and many other things of
that nature.”
PRISONERS AND THE WAR.
Some problems arising as a direct result of the war received serious
attention. There was the question of additional food production by
prison labor; whether paroled men shall enter the army or navy; and
whether conditional pardons may be granted, contingent upon military
service.
Some delegates asserted that a general restlessness was noticed among
most prisoners. Many of them are exceedingly anxious to get into the
war, and in some States prisoners are being paroled so that they may
enter the army or navy. Prison officials know that many of their wards
are fit for military service just as well as they are aware that other
prisoners are unfit. After prolonged discussion of the subject, the
Wardens’ Association unanimously adopted the following resolution:
“Resolved, That the Wardens’ Association of the American Prison
Association suggest to and request of the President of the United
States the modification of paragraph 849 of the Regulations of the Army
and paragraph 3686 of the Articles for the Government of the Navy of
the United States so as to permit the enlistment in the military and
naval forces of the United States of men who, in the judgment of the
proper military and naval authorities, are physically, mentally and
morally qualified, despite the fact that such persons may have been
convicted of the offenses set forth in the regulations and articles
above referred to and imprisoned therefor, upon their being duly and
honorably paroled or discharged from such imprisonment.”
At Guelph, Ontario, the great prison has been practically depopulated.
The prisoners have gone to war, and the institution has been taken over
as a hospital for convalescents returned from the scenes of war. The
Superintendent, Dr. J. T. Gilmour, declared that it is only a step from
prisoner to patriot.
“We have learned a great deal about prisoners during the three years
we have been in war. We have learned that the prisoner’s sense of
patriotism is not dead because he is behind the bars; that he is just
as anxious to serve his country as the man who is not being punished,
and if given an opportunity the chances are that he will make a good
soldier. It has come to my notice that men have exchanged prison
uniforms for army uniforms in three hours after their discharge from
prison.”
He made the further statement that thousands of men had been released
from Canadian prisons to permit them to serve in the army, and
thousands of others were “doing their bit” by making hospital supplies
during their imprisonment.
PRISONERS CONDEMNED TO SLAVERY.
In at least two Southern States, the infamous lease system, whereby
prisoners are leased for an annual stipend to work in the mines or in
the turpentine forests or in other work, prevails. Isadore Shapiro, a
member of the Legislature from Alabama, and President of the Committee
on Prisons, vigorously lambasted the government of Alabama for
tolerating and continuing such venal disgrace. The Alabama legislature
had made an effort to abolish the lease system but the governor had
interposed so as to prolong the infamy. The prisoners could profitably
and healthfully be put to work on the State farms but instead they are
offered for sale to the highest bidder, and employed in mills, coal
mines, lumber and turpentine camps. All of the women prisoners in one
county were leased recently for the term of two years at the rate of
fifteen cents a day. Mr. Shapiro produced a leather strap six feet long
and an inch and a half wide with which prisoners are flogged.
Recently in the State of Florida 598 prisoners were leased at an
average of $360 per head by the year. It is a fact that most prisoners
who work in the turpentine industry are so broken down in health after
a few years that for the remainder of their days they are unfit for any
manual employment. Of course it is granted that this work must be done,
but we insist that it must be done under humane regulations. We have
yet to learn of any leasing corporation or individual that has treated
his serfs with merciful consideration. Georgia, after a long fight, has
entirely repudiated the system.
The Association, while insisting that employment should be given to
prisoners, unanimously adopted a resolution condemning in the strongest
terms a system whereby men and women are sold into bondage in order to
enhance the revenue of the State.
THE INDETERMINATE SYSTEM.
There is no longer any debate about the Indeterminate Sentence. The
principle is written upon the statutes of nearly every State of the
Union, tho in a debilitated and illogical form in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania. Amos W. Butler, Secretary Board of Charities in
Indiana, in an address delivered in one of the churches declared that
we had brought very little understanding to bear upon our treatment of
criminals until recent years. He compared our knowledge of smallpox,
yellow fever and other diseases with crime and concluded that we made
as many blunders in considering the offender as we formerly made in our
attitude toward these mysterious and dreaded diseases.
“Prisons are the visible signs of our failures. It is now within the
power of man to abolish many diseases from the earth, and so with
crime. Criminals are not sent to prison for punishment, as many seem
to believe, but prisons exist for the confinement of prisoners for the
safety of society and for the reform of the man or woman there. They
should, if possible, be reformed and returned to society.”
The speaker favored the indeterminate sentence. He said you would not
send a diphtheria patient to the hospital for a definite time, say
two or three weeks. Complications might appear and more time may be
required to effect a cure. The same is true of criminals. They should
be sent there until reformed, until fit to be returned.
Indiana has an indeterminate sentence law and in the past twenty years
11,000 men and women have been released under that law. Seventy-five
per cent. of them succeeded, or made good. Prisoners there have earned
about $3,000,000 for themselves.
The absolutely indeterminate sentence is not yet in vogue in any
State. A criminal under such a sentence would be sent to prison as
to a hospital to remain till cured of his malady. Perhaps, in some
cases he would be subject to some detention as a deterrent to others
contemplating entering upon a criminal career. Specialists would
determine when he was ready to enter the community. We may at some
time adopt such a system when there are enough men and women having
the skill and training necessary to pass on the mental and moral
characteristics of such patients.
Perhaps the best form of sentence is by statutes which fix the time
for any given offense. The time for arson, for instance, may be placed
from two to twenty years. It is the function of the judge or jury to
determine whether the accused is guilty. If found guilty, the defendant
is placed in care of a judicious board of control who will release the
criminal at such time as they may deem best for him and the community.
Judge Willis, of St. Paul, said that no physician would send a patient
to a hospital for a specified number of days or weeks, yet this very
thing is done daily by judges who send mentally and morally sick men
and women to jail. “A doctor would not presume to predict just how
many days it would take to cure a disease, but a judge daily uses his
prerogative as a diagnostician in sending morally diseased people to
jail, although the records of trials show that no two judges think
alike in the matter. * * * Society no longer tolerates vengeance in the
criminal code. The desire of intelligent people of today is to restore
the criminal to a place in society--an honorable place--and not only to
restore him, but to make him a more valuable member of society than he
was before his incarceration.”
NATIONAL PRISONERS’ AID ASSOCIATION.
This body is an auxiliary of the main organization. Two sessions were
held at which various phases of the work were earnestly discussed.
The address of the President, Rev. James Parsons, of Minneapolis,
presented a summary of what has been accomplished, and also some cogent
reasons for the existence and maintenance of organizations having
constantly in view the rehabilitation of those who have violated law.
This address is given in another part of the JOURNAL.
Rev. Charles Parsons, of Des Moines, called attention to the increase
of crime in time of war. “A celebrated doctor declared that soon after
the beginning of the war there was an abnormal increase of crime in
Germany. * * * Juvenile delinquency increased 34 per cent. in Great
Britain when the teachers were enlisted, supplies cut down, evening
schools closed and pupils between eleven and thirteen years of age
went to work, while a half million of the younger children had little
care. The increase of crime was so alarming, the authorities had to
take special measures of prevention. * * * Our American training camps
probably are the best supervised from a moral standpoint of any in the
world. More effort has been made to keep them decent and free from
vice than in any other period of human history. Yet with all this
precaution, it is impossible to eliminate all the evils connected with
life in the camp.”
Col. Sedgwick Rice, Commandant U. S. Military Prison at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, said he had received instructions from the war
department to prepare for a large increase in the prison population,
but up to this time he was glad to state no great increase was
manifest. Many of the deserters had left some branch of the service
in order to join some other branch, not realizing that such an act
constituted desertion.
Wallace Gilpatrick described the operation of the Christie House, N.
Y., of which he has been superintendent since 1905. Their work is not
limited to the young men out of prison, as they give help to all young
men in trouble from whatever cause. “The matter of employment, vital
as it is, is not always the first matter to be considered when a boy
arrives at the house. Our first aim is to have him understand that he
is among friends. We make him feel at home and we ask few questions.
After he has recovered from his first feeling of strangeness, we
provide him with a good meal, and clean linen, perhaps, a complete suit
of clothing. When he sees other young men coming in from their work and
engaged in games such as chess, checkers, billiards, and when he has
had an invitation to participate in the fun, he begins to realize that
he has gotten into a pretty good sort of place.” The superintendent had
in the last twelve years made the acquaintance of about three thousand
men who had availed themselves of the hospitality of Christie House. It
had been impossible to follow their careers but he knew personally that
25 per cent. of them were making good. He was sure that many more had
been successful who had not kept in touch with the House.
Albert H. Votaw, of Philadelphia, was elected President of this
Association for the year 1918, and Geo. B. Newcomb, Bismarck, N. D.,
Secretary.
STATE PENAL FARM AT ANGOLA.
The day before the meetings closed Governor Pleasant, of Louisiana,
in an address to the Association gave the members a warm invitation
to make a visit to the 18,000 acre prison farm of the State, at
Angola, about 130 miles from New Orleans. On Saturday about fifty
members of the Association availed themselves of this privilege.
The railroad ran up the rich valley of the Mississippi through cane
fields, cypress swamps and timbered country adorned with tropical
vegetation and scenery to Angola where we received a warm welcome. At
the Administration Building on the lawn, tables loaded with provisions
were placed to which soon our company was doing full justice. It was
explained that practically every article of the food was a product of
the farm and was such as was supplied to the convicts with exception
of the roast turkey, a few of which were kept on the place and which
had been slaughtered for our delectation. Even the fish caught in
the great river adjacent to the plantation may have belonged to the
farm by some riparian right. There was some white bread which was not
made from wheat flour native to Louisiana. Automobiles conveyed the
party over the huge plantation affording full opportunity to examine
the rude temporary barracks where the prisoners are kept. The men
eat at mess tables and the food seemed to be ample and to be well
prepared according to the culinary arrangements usually found in penal
institutions. We saw much to admire and some things to condemn.
1. We did not approve of armed trusties stationed to guard the men
while at work in the fields.
2. We hope at no distant day to hear that striped clothing is tabooed.
3. We were unanimous in condemning the system of punishing with the
lash. One northern warden, not a sentimentalist either, offered to come
down at his own expense and inaugurate a new system of penalties in
which no corporal punishment should be allowed.
We saw the men at work in the cane fields cutting, stripping and piling
the cane for the trucks or wagons. The most interesting proposition was
the huge and complete sugar refinery. How the canes in car loads and
wagon loads were carried by the endless carriers to the huge crushers,
and after triplicate crushing the dry residuum was discharged in the
furnaces, how the juice in huge vats was subject to three chemical
processes, how the purified syrup was then conveyed, all without
hands, to the heated evaporators and centrifugal apparatus, and how
the product in the form of hot granulated sugar, six hours from the
time the canes entered the mill, was caught in barrels at the rate of
400 barrels daily, is a truthful fairy story whose details we cannot
enter upon in this report. Penal Farms in Southern States have become
very popular and successful. From the standpoint of the reformer, they
furnish better opportunities than the closed prison or the stockade
both with regard to health and morals. The negro problem is in the
forefront in their institutions; still many of us were disposed to
believe that the punishments meted out to those who disobey the rules
are too severe and fail to accomplish the main object of imprisonment
which is to endeavor to build up character not by brute force but by
reasonable restraints.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY.
The good people of New Orleans fully exemplify that genial and gracious
hospitality which appears to be indigenous to the Southland.
Courtesies were extended on every hand and there was an air of
friendliness delightful and assuring to the visitors. Four features of
their cordial hospitality deserve special mention.
1. A series of personally conducted walks to the French quarter and
other places of interest.
2. Automobile tours of the city giving the delighted guests an
opportunity to see the beautiful lawns and residences, the parks and
the magnificent live oaks, the cemeteries where the dead repose above
ground, Lake Pontchartrain and its handsome shore resorts, the splendid
drives level as the floor.
3. A steamboat ride on the Mississippi bringing into view the immense
lines of docks and the admirable shipping facilities.
4. A reception at the home of Mrs. G. R. Westfeldt, President of a
Prisoners’ Aid Society. A delightful lunch was served by the ladies of
this society. A picturesque aged turbaned mammy dispensed pralines.
The old home, typically southern, with its wide verandas, central hall
and spacious rooms, lent itself admirably to the occasion. The company
was entertained by readings, Southern songs and negro impersonations.
President Peyton concluded the entertainment by expressing the
appreciation of the guests for these tokens of southern hospitality
which they realized was neither mythical nor merely traditionary.
FINAL.
Archdeacon B. M. Spurr, Moundsville, W. Va., was elected President, and
Joseph P. Byers, of Philadelphia, Secretary, for the next year.
Oklahoma City was selected as the place of meeting, and the time will
be in whatever portion of October the Executive Committee may determine.
In this hastily prepared sketch the writer does not pretend that
justice has been done to the many admirable features of the meetings
of 1917 at New Orleans. Those who desire to have the full published
account, containing the splendid papers read before the Association,
will write to Joseph P. Byers, Secretary, Empire Building,
Philadelphia, Pa.
ALBERT H. VOTAW,
_Delegate_.
[B]WHAT SHOULD BE THE AIM OF THE NATIONAL PRISONERS’ AID ASSOCIATION.
REV. JAMES PARSONS, NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT SOCIETY FOR THE FRIENDLESS.
It is fitting at times to ask the questions: what is the reason for
our being, and what should we strive to accomplish? Last year at
our meeting, the speaker outlined informally one thing that seemed
to be desirable and a first step. That was to find out as far as
possible what is being done by the various organizations that comprise
our membership, and report the results at this meeting. A survey
of this kind should at least furnish a starting point for further
investigation, and possibly lead to something along the line of
standardizing the work and reports, so that it would be possible to
estimate a little more satisfactorily the results that have been
attained.
A statement of the nature of the investigation desired was placed in
the hands of the Secretary and the assurance given by him that the
necessary work would be done, but it was finally discovered that on
account of local duties and the call to arms, our Secretary was unable
to do as he had intended. The President therefore at a late date sent
out a questionnaire to as many organizations as he knew, asking that
the questions might be answered as fully as records would admit.
Up to the present date fourteen organizations have responded. The
questionnaire did not cover all conceivable lines, but aimed to
include some of the fundamental things that are being done by most
organizations in the various lines of Prisoners’ Aid Work. These are
Jail and Prison Work; Probation and Oversight; Relief Work, and the
Department of Public Information.
It was not expected that all organizations would have records to
exactly fit into the outline of questions. The replies showed that
no organization had kept records so as to answer all the questions,
and yet each one reporting was able to answer most of them from
records kept, which showed that the things counted fundamental by most
organizations had been included in the questionnaire.
As was to be expected some had kept very few records. Some had
neglected to record facts that seemed to be considered most important
by others. In fact, one officer said distinctly that it had been the
policy of his organization not to keep records of anything except
financial matters, as they did not wish the left hand to know what the
right hand was doing. It is manifest on the whole, however, that there
is an honest attempt to keep a record of the vital things.
The following will give you the list of questions asked, together with
a summary of figures returned:
1. JAIL AND PRISON WORK.
Number of Prisoners Assisted 10656
Number of Religious Services held 10955
Number of Prisoners in Audiences 672166
Number of Prisoners Interviewed 86810
Number of Cases Followed Up With Special Assistance 1838
Number of Books and Pamphlets Distributed 129928
2. DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION AND OVERSIGHT.
Number of Prisoners Placed in Employment 2992
Number Replaced in Employment 687
Number of Visits to Discharged and Paroled Prisoners 9527
3. DEPARTMENT OF RELIEF WORK.
Number of Lodgings and Meals Furnished 48584
Number of Families Cared For 1480
Number of Garments Distributed 10501
4. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.
Number of Addresses Delivered 2525
Number of People Reached by Public Addresses 875653
Number of Papers and Leaflets Distributed 369554
Number of Letters Written in Connection with all Depts. 33715
It must be remembered that we have not been able to secure a complete
statement of results. Only a fragmentary report could be given of the
work of one of the larger organizations, and many others have failed to
report. Then, too, scattered up and down the land are individuals and
groups of faithful men and women who do a very large amount of work for
those who have yielded to temptation and become inmates of jails and
prisons. No account of such work could be secured, and yet no one can
fail to be impressed by the fact that a very great work is being done.
A casual glance at the figures must cause one to realize the magnitude
of accomplishments, and a careful study of this summary shows plainly
that a tremendous amount of personal effort has been put forth.
In view of present tendencies, it seems a fitting time to determine
the place such organizations as make up the National Prisoners’ Aid
Association, should fill in the field of delinquency, and what should
be the aim of our Association.
The work being carried on today in the field of delinquency is complex.
In the first place it was largely a matter of ameliorating the
severities that attended the life of the prisoner. The rule was that
those who had the care of criminals were brutal. No one can read the
history of prison life in past days, without being impressed with this
fact. In a general way such treatment was considered the proper thing.
Men had violated the law; they were criminals and should suffer the
severities of punishment.
All this has changed as the result of the light thrown on the injustice
of such a course by men who gave the matter serious thought. They
showed that instead of deterring the wrongdoer from future crime, such
a course aroused in him all his latent possibilities for evil and
caused him to become brutalized and a sworn enemy to society.