AMERICAN PRISONS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1931, Page 6

AMERICAN PRISONS

FULL TO- OVERFLOWING. CONDITIONS IN CANADA. WELLINGTON, October 20. Some interesting comment upon American gaoLs was made by Colonel L. Mullen, D. 5.0., V.D., Governor of the Hobart gaol, who is a through passenger by the Monowad. Interveiwed by a Reporter, Colonel Mullen said that when he went through “The Tombs” (New York) 900 were awaiting trial, and there was not another inch of room for anyone. The governor was protesting that lie could take no more, and as the Court was in recess the cases could not be dealtwith. Two or three prisoners had been awaiting trial for seventeen months. In Sing Sing, where prisoners serving sentences of over two years are detained there were 2400 prisoners. The penitentiary on Welfare Island contained 700 prisoners who were serving sentences up to two years." The prisoners in Sing Sing played baseball against outside teams and they were allowed to spend 3.]- dollars a week on luxuries. Friends sent in the money.

The American prisons, Colonel Mullen said, were too large, and it was impossible for them to lie controlled properly, containing as they did up to 2400 inmates. Sing Sing prison was particularly well managed, and there was little trouble the re. In some of the other big . prisons strikes -drid. - rices sometimes occurred. Every cell in fsu.g Sing had a wireless set, and there was also a baseball ground. At nigh-fcjit was brilliantly lighted—almost ..like Coney Island—and every liundred yards there was a machine-gun on the wall.

Prisons in, Canada were different. Tire prisoners l were not allowed to go out into the exercise yard a« they did in Australia. Discipline was very strict. The prisoners were allowed half an hour’s exercise every day, but were not allowed to talk. The prisons were well kept, and the prisoners well fed. The prisons were well administered, though the prisoners were not given as much liberty as they -received in other Dominion prisons. A great deal was done for the prisoners in the way of education, and in a recent University entrance examination, the three highest placed entrants were prisoners, who each scored 100 pel - cent, of marks.