WITHOUT WALLS

Evening Post, Issue 51, 2 March 1931, Page 14

WITHOUT WALLS

INEW AMEBICAN PIUSOXS

"MEDIUM SECURITY"

A new type of prison, tlie "medium Security" prison, is. proposed' for New York State by the Governor's commission which has been investigating prison conditions. It differs from those now in existence in respect to the number and kind of devices used to prevent escapes. Stato prisoners now are sent either to "fortress" type prisons, like Sing Sing, ivhere they are confiued in cell blocks behind high walls, or to prison camps, where they aro almost uneonflucd, says the New York "Times." If the proposed ."medium security" prison is approved by the State Legislature, a place will be provided for those offenders who do not need the close supervision of the "fortress" type, or "maximum security" prison, and who yet do not merit the freedom of a prison cairip or "minimum security" prison. Tho minimum security prison "was recommended by Governor Roosevelt in his message to the 1931 Legislature. - . In its recent report the commission gave tho following description of the three classes of prisons:— CYCLONE FENCE. "The maximum security prison is the walled fortress with steel walls and, every known appliance to keep the prisoners from escaping. The existing prisons of Kew York State all practically fall into the maximum security type, although at Great Meadow and at the new prison at Attica prisoners work on the farm outside tho wall. ' \. ,"The medium security prison pro■tfidea single rooms for the inmates instead of steel cells) the prison is well guarded at night, and tho windows are protected to ; make escape difficult, ■ but the institution is not surrounded with a wall. The exerciso yard for the prisoners has what is known as the cyclone fence in place ot a wall. • Prisoners.are selected for this medium security who can be trusted and who will benefit by the greater opportunity for development which it affords. "The minimum, security is tho type iof housing which we find at road ;«amps and reforestation camps and iresembles very closely an arniy cantonment. The dormitory type of housing is used, and at times a-stockade surrounds the encampment, rather to Jceep outsiders' out than the prisoners sn. Only prisoners who can be trusted ito the highest extent are selected for t.he minimum security, institution." TESTS NEEDED. If the "medium security" plan is included in the prison policy of the Stato it will bo necessary to develop a caMdiul system of tests in order to deterpiine in which class of prison each criminal belongs.. At the commission's request the Department of Correction made such an investigation of the present inmates. It found that about J25 per cent, of them wTere qualified for ■road camps under minimum supervision; that about 34 per cent, could safely be housed in medium security prisons; that about 22 per cent, should be kept in maximum security prisons, and that the remainder needed psychiatric treatment or hospital care. The purpose of the proposed new (system of prison is to reduce the practice of "herding" prisoners together behind walls and to help the law violators to prepare themselves to, resume their places in the community. p'he commission believes that tho plan ,would give prisoners an incentive for fcelf-improvement and that the results J/wmld be of advantage to the State.