The journal of prison discipline and philanthropy (New series, No. 57), March, 1918Pennsylvania Prison Society
History
The journal of prison discipline and philanthropy (New series, No. 57), March, 1918
Pennsylvania Prison Society
Charities -- Periodicals; Prisons -- Periodicals
We hold no brief for the Philadelphia County Prison. Doubtless some
conditions could be improved. But the jury occasionally in its zeal
magnifies a possible wrong or views some punitive feature out of its
proper prospective. The discipline for a body of untried prisoners,
some of whom may prove to be dangerous criminals, must not be squared
by the discipline meted out to convicts who remain year after year in
the same institution. You deal with one set as with people you know,
the others present unknown dangerous proclivities. The tendency is to
treat a body of transients with a stricter set of regulations. Just how
far the principles of “The New Penology” have entered the precincts of
Philadelphia County Prison, we are not prepared to discuss. There is
a medium ground in all things and in prison management, probably the
safest plan is to take the middle course. Compared with the “Tombs,”
the New York County prison for those detained for trial, the prison at
Moyamensing compares very favorably. The advantages, the employments,
the general discipline of the New York Convict prisons at Blackwell’s
and Riker’s Islands are perhaps in the main superior to our convict
prison. The regulations for those held for trial should be as mild
and reasonable as is consistent with safety and the convenience of
the accused person. While they are not yet convicts, many of them are
well-known recidivists, more or less dangerous, some are entirely
unknown and need watchful care, so that any system founded on uniform
treatment for all is liable to criticism. A system which combines
moderate restraint with exactly the right proportion of reasonable
freedom presents a problem which a novice can no more readily solve
than an ignoramus the elements of an eclipse.
Down at Moyamensing they have the buildings and the space for the
detention of the untried prisoners, and we have little doubt but
that the manager and the court officials, if they were to meet for a
conference, could unite in the adoption of regulations which would
be satisfactory to all parties concerned. It is to the city’s direct
interest to make use of the facilities already possessed. We are
inclined to the belief that the construction of a new prison for the
untried may be an economic blunder.
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
We learn that ten men have been working on the county farm.
This county for some years has been allowing men who were fined to be
released on condition of making payments on instalments. In 1916 they
collected from this source the sum of $2,081.14. If these men and women
had been maintained in prison in accordance with the old law of 1836,
their board and maintenance would have cost the taxpayers $4,025.38.
Hence by the new arrangement a snug profit to the county of $6,106.52.
They were pioneers in the rational treatment of those who were fined.
Here they believe in the principle of parole and put it into practice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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