BERTILLON OR FRENCH SYSTEM OFPRISON MEASUREMENT AND REGISTRY.
BERTILLON OR FRENCH SYSTEM OFPRISON MEASUREMENT AND REGISTRY.
One of the great difficulties in connection with prison reform is that of restoring to important places in legitimate society the ex-convicts who have been serving long terms of imprisonment. First and foremost is the consciousness of the prisoner that he has been a convict, that he has worn the striped clothes and been separated from society for a period of years on the supposition that he was not worthy to live in said society and therefore had forfeited his right to live in it. If he be strong enough to overcome the effects of such a feeling he must indeed have received a permanent reform or be strong in character. In addition to this is the fact that people know he has been a jail-birdand they will not want to employ him or trust him. This has a tendency to make him feel that he is still an outcast from society and that there are greater walls than those of the prison separating him from the trust and confidence of society. If he is employed by those who do not understand that he is from prison he carries with him continually the consciousness of deception, and this in itself has rather a bad tendency in developing a spirit which (if it does not already exist) will tend to make him feel that he is an enemy to the society which seems against him. It will be a strong character, even though it be determined to do right at all times and even though the prison reform has been salutary, if it resists the influence of such conditions. True there are prisoners of entirely different character, who consider all attempt at reform within the prison walls as so much nonsense, or at least nothing more than opportunities for winning the favor of their superiors while under sentence, and when they pass from the prison walls they still feel, if they feel at all, that society is against them and they are against society, and they are ready at the slightest opportunity to engage in their old pursuits without even attempting to enter a legitimate calling and live respectable and honored citizens.
To relieve all this there have been attempts to form prison associations which would receive the prisoner at his discharge, place him in the hands of individuals who understand his life and character and who would sympathize with him in the attempt to continue his well begun reformation, and he, understanding them, would have confidence not only in himself but in the people around him. In this way he makes the connection which has been broken off between himself and legitimate associations, and has a possibility of outliving the past. Such an association in Kansas might accomplish a vast deal of good. It ought to be formed by philanthropists and business men who would take an especial interest in this work. Each prisoner when he has finished his sentence should be assisted quietly and earnestly in securing the proper place. It would save very many, who have left the prison with good intentions, from returning to old practices.
Perhaps the furlough system, as carried on by the Elmira reformatory, is the most unique that has ever been tried for the purpose of making the connection of the discharged prisoners with the industrial and social life without. Prisoners are discharged on furlough of three years, during which time they are placed under good influences and have all the opportunities for continuing the reform outside of the prison walls. These prisoners report monthly to the prison authorities and of their own accord. If, at the end of three years, they have made satisfactory progress and have occupied positions of trust without betraying confidence, they are given their final discharge on thesupposition that they are, from that time on, able to care for themselves in a manly way. Of the discharged prisoners by the furlough system over 75 per cent. have completed their three years with credit to themselves, which speaks well for the permanent reforming character of the Elmira system. There is need of such a school in Kansas. When the Hutchinson reformatory was projected, commissioners were sent to study the Elmira system and other systems and it was determined to carry out or follow as nearly as possible the former, believing it would be of benefit to Kansas. Certainly a reform prison is needed at present for the younger criminals, where they can be separated from the old and hardened and be placed under the best influence possible. One chief detriment to the effective working of such a reform school in the West is that it is an expensive institution, and that the people of to-day are not willing to pay sufficient taxes for the support of an institution in which so much care is given to those who have committed crimes against the state. There is a feeling here still that it is better to give support to our educational institutions and to all efforts along the line of educating that part of society which is already good and making it better, rather than spending so much money on that which is broken down. But it must be remembered, as was stated in the foregoing principles, that the care for the broken down parts of humanity is only in the interest of general humanity and should be considered upon that basis. However, I think also that a reformatory could be carried on at Hutchinson on a less expensive basis than that one at New York, and with proper management it could be made to go a long way towards supporting itself and still give proper reformatory practice for all who should come within its scope. At least the Hutchinson institution should not be abandoned under any consideration whatever. It would relieve the present overcrowded condition of our penitentiary and provide in a large measure for a class which are not sufficiently provided for.[15]
Discharged prisoners from Lansing find but little difficulty in obtaining work in the mines if their previous training has prepared them for it. So, also, those who have trades well learned need not be out of employment and the prison authorities render assistance to prisoners in a general way in obtaining work after being discharged.
Much more might be said about criminology and penology in Kansas, of a more scientific nature than what is contained in this somewhat general discussion; it is the intention of the writer to refer again to this subject in connection with the study of sociology at the University of Kansas.