PROFITABLE PRISONERS.

Southland Times, Issue 1182, 25 June 1869, Page 2

PROFITABLE PRISONERS.

The Governor of the State Prison of Massachusetts (at Charleston, near Boston) has forwarded to Mr William Tallack, secretary of the Howard association, London, some very interesting reports of the institution (up to Feb., 1869), which are'well worth the attention of the pub/ie on this side the Atlantic, as proving the reformatory effects of remunerative prison labour. The Massachusetts prison contains 55$ convicts, under the care of Mr G-ideon Haynes. These are confined at night in separate cells, but ar3 employed during the day in silent congregate labour. The prison foundry occupies 92 of the inmates, whipmaking 68, the lamp factory 58, the iron-bedstead shop 49, brushmakin* 32, and so on. The Governor reports, financially, as follows : — Total prison expenses in 1868, £21798 ; total receipts from prison labour, £27,128 ; receipts from other sources, £200 ; clear profit during 1868, £5529 (27,646, dollars); profit during 1867, £44-69. Hence a clear profit of £10,000 in cash has accrued to Masschusetts, in two years, from the prison, after paying all costs and salaries. Mr Haynes states : — " This result has not been obtained by a change in the quantity or quality of food or clothing, or reduction of officers (their number and pay having both been increased), or a relaxation of the discipline, for an examination will show a marked improvement in each department." Yet pecuniary profit is not the primary object, but rather reformatiou and the prevention of crime after leaving the prison; for, as Mr Haynes remarks," it is certainly desirable that the institution should pay its expenses ; but that should be a secondary consideration, and ought not to interfere with the safety of the oflicers or the reformation of the convicts — matters of more importance than dollars and cents. " — English Paper.