92 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences^ Arts, and Letters. 



It is an acknowledged fact, that light and fresh air in generous meas" 

 ure are absolutely essential to a healthful condition of both body and 

 mind. For the most part, our jails seem ingeniously constructed to ex- 

 clude as much of these essential elements of health as is possible without 

 destroying life. 



" Nor is any proper provision made for cleanliness of person. Many 

 prisoners come to the jail filthy in person and in clothing. They are 

 thrust into long, narrow, dimly-lighted, badly ventilated corridors, from 

 which open the cells. There are no bathing requirements or facilities, 

 and prisoners are not always required even to wash their hands and faces. 

 This corridor is used as the sitting and eating room of all the prisoners, 

 clean and unclean, and is often also, the privy and water closet of all ; and 

 if not, the privy is closely adjoining, and the corridor is filled with its 

 fetid and sickening odor. 



" The cells are very small, usually not exceeding in size four or five 

 feet by eight, and seven feet in height ; without ventilating flues, and 

 with absolutely no light or air except such as steals through the iron 

 grates of the narrow doors opening into the corridors. No breath of pure, 

 fresh air ever reaches the inmates. Yet in these cells, alive with vermin, 

 poisoned with the stagnant, fetid air, the prisoners spend one half of their 

 time ; and when too sick to creep out into the corridor, the whole of it. * 

 " The larger proportion of the pereons confined in our county jails are 

 confined awaiting trial, and they are often detained month after month. 



" Tliey are not convicts and the law presumes them innocent. Expe- 

 rience shows that a portion of them are innocent of the crimes with 

 which they are charged, while a much larger portion of them are never 

 convicted. 



" The power to arrest and detain persons charged with crimes is one 

 essential to the public good, but it is one that is often abused by the 

 malice of accusers and the reckless carelessness or corruption of oQicers ; 

 and innocent persons are not unfrequently the victims. But we submit 

 that whatever right the state may have to punish convicts by depriving 

 them of sunlight and pure air, thus destroying health of body and mind 

 by such incarceration, it has no right thus to treat persons who are 

 simply accused of crime and are awaiting trial. T7iei/, at least, are 

 entitled to such of the decencies and ordinaiy comforts of life as may be 

 consistent with safe detention. 



" The moral condition of our jails is infinitely worse than their sani- 

 tary condition, and after a full examination and careful consideration, we 

 have come to the clear and jjainful conviction, that they are the very hot- 

 beds and nurseries of vice and crime, and that the state is directlj^ 

 responsible for a large share of crime which it seeks to punish. 



