Approaching now the presentation of the plan for a true prison system,
I am overwhelmed with a sense of the magnitude
of the task, profoundly impressed with the breadth of the theme, and painfully
sensible of the proper limits of this paper, whose thoroughness and clearness
demand a review of present prison systems, so-called, a discussion of the
principles involved, a particular description of the several reformatory
establishments included, and full notes detailing the management of prisons
and prisoners, and the preventive operation of the system. Of course, to
accomplish all this is impossible; a mere outline must suffice.
The ideal prison system which I would delineate contains three departments,
viz.:
(1) Organization;
(2) Legislation; and
(3) Administration.
