THE IDEAL OF A TRUE PRISON SYSTEM FOR A STATE
By Z[EBULON]. R[EED]. BROCKWAY
Superintendent of the Detroit House of Correction
The employment of prisoners should be at mechanical branches chiefly, because these place them in the most
favorable situation in which to control the influences that reach them; because they afford better opportunity and involve greater necessity for exercising the will to hold the mind and muscles to careful, skillful toil, thus developing self-control; and because they are more productive in this country than agriculture, or employment upon public works, the crank or the treadmill. Whether they shall be employed with or without the intervention of contractors is an open question, and must be governed much by circumstances. I am opposed to the contract system, but there are times and circumstances when to contract the prisoners' labor is the best thing. If the manager of an establishment is all that is desired in other respects, but not adapted to manufacturing management; if the requisite capital be wanting; if the concern is so large as to overburden the warden with business cares, so that he has not time or strength for aught else; or if there is much liability of change from political or local reasons, it may be well to employ a portion only of the prisoners directly for the state, contracting the labor of the residue to good men, upon suitable terms and conditions.
The whole scope of the world's industry should be open for the employment of prisoners; no interference of trades' unions can be tolerated; the logic of the least dictation from them goes to locking up the prisoners in idleness; and there is no good ground for such interference on their part. The statistics heretofore adduced show eighty-two per cent of prisoners to have been laborers and servants, only eighteen per cent artisans from which it would seem that in proportion as laborers become mechanics and tradesmen, their liability to commit crime is reduced; hence, the employment of prisoners at mechanical pursuits is a reformatory measure, and for the best interest of society at large. Shall the small per cent of artisans in society object, or seek to prevent this? It is unworthy of them, and, comprehensively viewed, not for their interest. Competition is most onerous to persons of least income or resources, and are not these the laborers and servants? Is it not true benevolence and sound policy to remove, if possible, competition from those least able to bear it to where it can better be borne? Are there demagogues or associations of men so selfish and so partisan, that they wish to oppress the poorest class in society? Will mechanics—men of a true manhood—follow their lead? Let this senseless cry against convict labor cease. The world is wide—there is room for all. Let the welfare of the whole supersede and extinguish the selfishness of the few.
The co-operative principle may be applied to the industries of a reformatory prison, where the sentences are upon the indeterminate plan—at least of such a one as the intermediate reformatory herein outlined. By this is meant that the prisoners may be interested in producing an income sufficient to defray all the expenses of the establishment by the privilege of sharing in any surplus gained, which I believe to be the best, if not only feasible general plan for giving prisoners a share of their earnings; though in a limited way, with selected prisoners, an ordinary system of overwork, well managed, may be beneficial.