JOURNAL 



OF THE 



ELISHA MITCHELL S CIENTIFIC SOCIETY 



VOLUME XXIX JANUARY. 1914 No. 3 



DETAILS OF ARRANGEME'^^ts Al^B ORGANIZA- 

 TION FOR THE USE OF CONVICT LABOR 

 IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION 



BY JOSEPH HYDE PRATT 



Before taking up a discussion of the details of arrangements 

 or organization for the use of convict labor in the construction 

 of public roads, I wish to state briefly certain phases of the 

 convict labor problem that are pertinent to the economic use of 

 such labor. There are certain fundamental principles that 

 must be borne in mind in considering this problem and in the 

 handling of convict labor : 



First : The convict is a human being and must be treated as 

 such ; he has a sense of responsibility, honor and discipline, 

 and this sense can be quickened and developed. 



Second: That perhaps with few exceptions, there is some 

 good in every convict, which can be developed and made para- 

 mount in the character of the man. 



Third : The convict in serving his sentence is simply paying 

 a debt that he owes to the State for certain infringements of 

 the laws of that State; and, when he has served this sentence, 

 he has paid his debt and should be in a position to become a 

 good and valuable citizen of the State. Most convicts are serv- 

 ing a first sentence and often for a crime committed on the spur 

 of the moment, and with many of them this one crime com- 

 mitted represents the only black spot in their lives. 



Fourth : Hard work is a good reformer, and idleness begets 

 melancholia. 



Fifth : The State on her part owes it to the convict to assist 

 him in every way to pay his debt as speedily and economically 



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