1307 Soe 3318.6 A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE Construction, Management, & Discipline OF THE NEW-YORK STATE PRISON AT AUBURN, TOGETHER WITH A COMPENDIUM OF CRIMINAL LAW. ALSO A Report of the Trial of an Officer of said Prison for WHIPPING A Page. 1 1 3, 59, 61 3 4 5 INDEX. Blacksmiths' Shop, with a Schedule of prices for manufactur- ing certain articles, (A) Solitary Cells-Confinement, &c. and the effects produced A Compend of Statute Criminal Laws, Extracts from the Inspectors' Report of January, 1824, con- Extract from the Report of the Prison Discipline Society, at Boston, containing Remarks on the Auburn State Prison, and others with an engraving, 68 General description of the Buildings, Walls, and Yards, with remarks on the importance of facility of Inspection, and other arrangements in building Prisons, Table, shewing th number and employment of convicts, (A.) At page 28, there is a mistake in the prices of certain articles of Blacksmith work, which was not discovered in time to be corrected elsewhere.-For all edge- tools, compasses, hammers, shovels, screw-plates, braces and bow drill stocks, we 81 PREFACE. This prison has, for some time past, attracted much public attention; and a solicitude to obtain information, in relation to it, is rapidly increasing. Many distinguished individuals, from various parts of the United States as well as from Europe, are almost daily calling, to examine petsonally, its management and the peculiarities of its construction and discipline. They invariably appear highly gratified, and almost as uniformly solicit prison reports or pamphlets, from which they can learn, at leisure and in detail, the whole concerns of an institution which strikes them so favorably on a general examination. It has been a subject of regret, that the desired information could not be given in the form requested. Much of it was only to be found scattered through the journals, of the Legislature, and much, in regard to police and discipline, existed only in practice, and had never been reduced to writing. Such indeed must always be more or less the case, as experience may, or may not suggest improve.nents and also, because all the minutiæ of proceedings would be too voluminous These considerations seemed to require, that the main principles and practice of this institution should be presented in a pamphlet form, suitable for general circulation. Besides, such a compilation had become important as a manual for the use of our own prison officers, and espe cially those who might be newly appointed. In addition to this, the Agent received a letter from Governor Clinton in behalf of one of the states, requesting a full accouut of this institution, About the same time, Messrs. King & Wharton of Philadelphia, and judge Shaler of Pittsburgh, Commissioners appointed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, to revise the crimininal code of that state, made a visit to this prison, and not being able, during that visit,to collect all the facts they desired, sent, after their return home, a series of Interrogatories to the Agent, of similar import, but more extensive than those of Governor Clinton. Previously to this, an official letter was received from Ohio, containing the following questions. 1st An epitome of the law regulating the institution. 2d. Its organization as to officers & guards. 3d, The prison discipline. 4th Clothing and diet. 5th The kind of labour performed. 6th. The finances, and whether it is a loss or gain to the state. 7th. How many convicts have you and what is the average number received and discharged annually. 8th. The expenses charged against the institution, and whether the costs of prosecuting convicts are charged to the respective Counties, or paid by the institution. From these questions and those contained in the other two letters which follow, at length, the labour as well as importance of answering them may be readily perceived. With all these circumstances in view, the Agent has ventured upon the task of employing such portions of time, as could be spared from the discharge of his ardous official duties, in preparing the following pages, without much attention to style of composition or method of ar |