Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1893 — Prison Legislation. [ARTICLE]

Prison Legislation.

The Michigan City News says: Two-bills will be introduced during the coming session of the legislature that will be of considerable importance to the State prisons. One of these bills will provide for the establishment and muiutenauco of a ward in the central hospital fur ihe insane, iu which shall be confined the insane convicts from the peniientiaties. The bill will provide for an inquisition by a commission of the prison physician and two other physicians. If this commission declares the man iußane and a suitable subject to be sent to the hospital, the matter will be referred to the governor, who will have power to order the convict’s removal to the ward provided for such cases iu the central hospital. ! In the event that the convict is j cured of his insanity “before the \ time of the expiration of his sentence, he will be returned to prison to serve out the remainder cf

tm sentence. If he is cured after the expiration of his sentence he will be discharged. The bill, it is believed will effectually provide against the escape from due punishment of uuy prisoner who uiiuy feign insanity, and will so hedge around the pot,, sibilities of abuses that they will be out. of the question. Xhe other bid will Un.ko maximum imprisonment for murder twenty years; or, lu other i words, it will provide that if a man j is convicted of murder aud is sen* • I

entced to prison for life, the governor will be expected to release him on parole at the end of twenty years if his conduct as a prisoner has been good. If his conduct haedbeen bad, Ke-need-net be released, or after being released, lie does not obey the laws and become a peaceable citizen, he may be returned to the prison. Many believe this kind of a law would be a step in the direction of humanity which is greatly to be desired, also believe it would be a powerful reformatory influence iu the lives of men who had gone wrong.