496 



MICHIGAN. 



December 1st, was 622, being an increase of 

 40 during the year. Total receipts, from all 

 sources, for the year, $105,161.88, of which 

 $85,238.69 was from the earnings of convicts. 

 Expenditures, in all, $94,036.57. During the 

 last two months covered by the report, the in- 

 stitution was more than self-sustaining, and the 

 inspectors express the opinion that such will 

 continue to be the case hereafter. But one 

 person was pardoned out of the prison by the 

 Governor, and upon the ground, in his case, 

 that he was wrongfully convicted; the case 

 being one of mistaken identity. The inspec- 

 tors, in their annual report, express themselves 

 very strongly in regard to the good effect of 

 the Governor's course in refusing pardons. 

 After quoting very decided opinions from the 

 authorities of other prisons as to the bad effect 

 upon discipline, and the general discontent that 

 prevails among prisoners, so long as they sup- 

 pose pardons to be possible, they say: "The 

 effect of numerous pardons upon the discipline 

 of the prison is also manifest in another way. 

 The convicts have the impression that the au- 

 thorities of the prison have more or less to do 

 with every pardon ; at least, that their assent 

 or approval is necessary. Distrust and dis- 

 satisfaction are -engendered in consequence. 

 The physician of the Albany Penitentiary also 

 reports that he is troubled greatly with per- 

 sons who feign disease, in order to facilitate 

 their application for pardon. Our own prison, 

 by reason of freedom from the exciting cause, 

 has ceased to exhibit the effects described. All 

 our observation and experience tend to satisfy 

 us of the correctness of these views ; and that 

 the health, contentment, and enjoyment of the 

 prisoners themselves are immeasurably promo- 

 ted by the conviction that it is useless to spend 

 money, time, effort, or anxiety, in the endeavor 

 to get pardoned out for light or insufficient 

 reasons." 



A large allowance is now made to prisoners 

 in deduction from their sentences, for good be- 

 havior during confinement, and the agent rec- 

 ommends that a portion of their earnings say 

 from six to ten cents a day be set apart for 

 them, and paid to them at their discharge. He 

 says : " Regard for their families, who may be 

 in dependent circumstances, and pride of char- 

 acter, would, in one class of convicts, incite to 

 good behavior, that they might take home, on 

 their discharge, all they could be entitled to. 

 Those that might have occasion to use their 

 money in this way, would have the means to 

 purchase tools, etc., or a small capital with 

 which to commence business. Hence a great 

 inducement would be offered for each convict 

 to demean himself in an orderly manner, and 

 he would also become interested in the good 

 behavior of all the others; the necessity of 

 compulsory labor and corporeal punishment 

 would be very much lessened, and w.e should 

 find that cheerfulness and alacrity would take 

 the place of sullenness and discontent, and con- 

 victs would feel that they had received some 



remuneration for their services, instead of all 

 their hard earnings inuring to the benefit of the 

 State." 



Of the 256 convicts, received during the year, 

 176 were for burglary, larceny, and kindred 

 offences ; 2 for murder in the first degree ; 4 

 for murder in the second degree ; 3 for man- 

 slaughter; 3 for murderous assault; 11 for 

 passing counterfeit money; 13 for forgery, or 

 uttering forged instruments. Sixty-five were 

 sent for one year, or less ; 62 for over one year 

 and not exceeding two ; 40 for over two years 

 and not exceeding three; 25 for over four years 

 and not exceeding five; 16 for various terms 

 between five and ten years ; 12 for ten years, 

 and 4 for life. Eleven deaths occurred among 

 the convicts during the year, of which two 

 were of life convicts, who had been in prison a 

 number of years, and three of prisoners shot 

 in an attempt to escape. 



The receipts of the Detroit House of Correc- 

 tion were $65,259.51, and the expenditures 

 $50,056.14, leaving a surplus of $15,203.37. 

 The convicts in this institution are put to labor 

 within its walls, nnder proper direction, and 

 this system has hitherto resulted in a steady 

 profit to the institution, and has been more 

 satisfactory than that adopted in the State 

 Prison, where the labor of prisoners is let to 

 contractors, and generally at a loss to the 

 State. The number received, during the year, 

 was 1,098, which is 11 more than that in 1867. 

 The convictions were mostly for vagrancy and 

 other minor offences. A regular school is held 

 for the inmates, three evenings in each week, 

 and a series of lectures, by able professional and 

 scientific men, has been had for their attend- 

 ance. The superintendent, in his annual re- 

 port, urged that the Legislature be asked to 

 render more efficient aid for reformatory pur- 

 poses, for the imprisonment in this institution 

 of prostitutes, vagrants, confirmed pilferers, 

 and those whose passions and appetites are be- 

 yond their control; who, by indulgence, be- 

 come dangerous members of society, and are 

 convicted of misdemeanors before any proper 

 tribunal. Experience has shown, that to sen- 

 tence such prisoners to imprisonment for defi- 

 nite periods, frequently subverts the purpose 

 in view, and is almost always a hinderance ; for, 

 the effect of too long a sentence is depressing, 

 and of too brief, unimproving ; so that, in either 

 case, that merited process essential to refor- 

 mation is prevented or destroyed. Human wis- 

 dom is insufficient to adjust the sentence at the 

 time of imposing it, as now done, so as to avoid 

 this consequence, and he is satisfied it can only 

 be done by the aid of that observation of the 

 character and conduct to be had subsequent to 

 the commitment of the prisoner. There can- 

 not be an increase of liability to erroneous and 

 unjust sentences, by leaving the duration of im- 

 prisonment to be determined by competent au- 

 thority, after suitable opportunity for observing 

 the prisoner ; but it must be lessened by such 

 a course. To commit these prisoners to the 



