The Journal of Prison Discipline and Philanthropy, March 1912: New Series No. 51Pennsylvania Prison Society
History
The Journal of Prison Discipline and Philanthropy, March 1912: New Series No. 51
Pennsylvania Prison Society
Charities -- Periodicals; Prisons -- Periodicals
“Here is the programme of the daily life at the institution. At
5:30 the prisoner arises and begins the day with a biscuit and
milk after which he cleans and tidies up his cell. At 7 o’clock he
breakfasts on bread, porridge, margarine and with tea and coffee,
if he is in the special grade. At 7:30 he is in the workshop or in
the open; and carpentering, blacksmithing, bootmaking, building,
gardening, cooking, cleaning, or laundry work, occupy him until
noon, when dinner, consisting of bread, meat, potatoes and pudding
await him. After an hour and ten minutes for dinner and rest he
resumes work which continues until 5:30 when work ceases and there
is a general parade reviewed by the Governor after which he gets
his last food for the day, generally consisting of bread and cheese
and a mug of cocoa.
“At 6:15 there is a general meeting in the Chapel when short
addresses are given by the Chaplain and others and encouraging
letters from discharged boys who are doing well are read. Then they
go to the evening classes after which there is recreation for a few
moments until 8:30 when they go to their cells and shortly after
lights are out.”
Surely this is a sensible day’s programme, a sensible system and
well applied. There are some faults in the plant but as the system
grew from a very small beginning and the buildings were added from
time to time this criticism is harsh. However, different planning
would greatly facilitate the training and decrease the cost of
maintenance. There are some in the system which are in process of
being remedied. For instance, it is proposed to lengthen the period
of licensed freedom to at least one year so that each boy can prove
himself without need of care during the four seasons.
The care given these discharged Borstalians, either on license
or having served their full time, is most admirable. 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. It is seldom more than assistance in procuring
work, or a heart-to-heart “big brother” talk.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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