REPORT 
 
 • STATS' 
 
 Division of Illinois State Reformatory 
 
 The Department of 
 Public Welfare 
 
 July 1, 1918, to June 30, 1920 
 
 [Printed by authority of the State of Illinois.] 
 
STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
 THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE 
 
 Charles H. Thorne, Director 
 
 Division of Illinois State Reformatory 
 James F. Scoullee, General Superintendent 
 
Illinois State Journal Co. 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 State Printers 
 19 2 0 
 
 46333 — 100 
 
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 ILLINOIS STATE REFORMATORY 
 
 James F. Scouller, General Superintendent 
 
 The greatest step forward that has been taken in the institution 
 during the past biennium has been the establishment of the Merit Sys- 
 tem. So much has been published concerning the Merit System in 
 various magazines and bulletins, that but a brief outline will be given 
 here. 
 
 Under this system prisoners are divided into five grades: “A,” 
 a B; v “C” “D” and “E.” Upon commitment to the institution a prisoner 
 is automatically assigned to grade “C” and is eligible for promotion to 
 the higher , grades each three months, provided he meets the require- 
 ments in behavior and workmanship. Demotion to the lower grades 
 comes as a result of poor conduct, or poor endeavor. Each prisoner is 
 graded by the shop or school instructor, and in addition, the staff, com- 
 prised of the principal officials of the institution, passes upon these 
 markings, and expresses final judgment. Before the staff takes action 
 in the case of a prisoner it has before it the reports of the physician, 
 psychiatrist and psychologist, as well as a report of the officials having 
 the prisoner under direct control. Practically, the Merit System means 
 that the prisoner may work out his own salvation with the assistance of 
 the staff. His period of stay at the institution is determined, in a great 
 measure, by the conduct he observes. 
 
 The work of the Merit System is cooperative with that of the 
 Division of Pardons and Paroles, which sets the prisoners time and 
 determines his parole, in the fact that even though he may have served 
 the minimum sentence he is not eligible to be heard by the Division of 
 Pardons and Paroles until he has been in grade “A” for at least three 
 months. The findings of the staff in each individual case are before the 
 Division of Pardons and Paroles when it considers the case for final 
 determination. The staff does its work regardless of the penalty fixed 
 for the crime committed. It studies the individual. The Division of 
 Pardons and Paroles considers the staff’s findings, the crime committed, 
 and the previous criminal history of the prisoner. Once this division has 
 fixed his sentence he may earn his good time according to the grade to 
 which he is promoted; or he may lose time-by being demoted to a lower 
 grade. 
 
 The system has not been in operation long enough to assert con- 
 clusively what results will be obtained. It became operative March 1, 
 
4 
 
 THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE 
 
 1920, and the first prisoners received since that date under the Merit 
 System have not yet appeared before the Division of Pardons and 
 Paroles. There is no question, however, but that the system is an ex- 
 ceptionally good one, and will work out to the benefit of all concerned. 
 This much can be said — the conduct of the prisoners in the institution 
 has been better since the Merit System was put into operation. 
 
 During the two-year period a psychiatrist and a psychologist have 
 been assigned to the institution, with a view to determining the mental 
 ages and characteristics of prisoners committed here. Their work has 
 been helpful, and should prove increasing^ valuable as the years go by. 
 
 HEALTH 
 
 The health of the inmates during the two-year period has been very 
 good indeed. We have been fortunate in having a very competent 
 surgeon who has performed a large number of major operations, with 
 wonderful success, relieving the sufferings of many who would otherwise 
 not have been able to afford an operation. 
 
 Wassermann tests are now taken of each inmate as he enters, and in 
 this way cases of diseases not otherwise recognizable have been discovered 
 and cured. 
 
 Due to the care and precaution used, the influenza epidemic of 1918 
 resulted in but five deaths out of over 300 cases. There was a slight 
 epidemic of scarlet fever in the institution during the spring of 1920, but 
 no serious cases and no deaths resulted. 
 
 Under provision made in the last budget we have a dentist at the 
 institution every day, and as a result the teeth of all inmates are being 
 kept in splendid condition. 
 
 With the employment of a dietitian, under the provisions of the 
 budget, it has been possible to inaugurate a system of feeding inmates 
 whereby each meal is served steaming hot. The army cafeteria style is 
 used and it has been found that it takes but a few minutes longer to 
 serve’ meals steaming hot than it did to serve them practically cold, as 
 in the past. Needless to say, this has added a great deal to the comfort 
 of inmates and they have shown their appreciation of it. The employ- 
 ment of a dietitian has also made possible the cooking of food in a 
 scientific manner, and the keeping of accurate waste accounts. The 
 ration has been accurately balanced and care taken that each inmate 
 should have the right amount of food, not only to sustain life, but to 
 keep him in a healthy condition and to promote growth. As a result 
 over nine-tenths of the inmates of the institution show an increase in 
 weight from the time of their arrival until their release. This has been 
 done, not by increasing the expenditure for food, but by so regulating 
 waste that the amount of food consumed is less than it has been prev- 
 iously. Comparison with other penal institutions in the State shows that 
 the cost of maintenance per inmate has been less here than at any other 
 institution. 
 
ILLINOIS STATE REFORMATORY 
 
 5 
 
 INDUSTRIES 
 
 At the present time the industries of the institution are in splendid 
 condition, but the past two-year period presented many difficulties. 
 
 In April, 1919, the manual training building, which contained the 
 finishing and storage departments of the chair shop, the blacksmith shop, 
 machine shop, tin shop, and manual training shop was completely 
 destroyed by fire. It was several months before the chair shop could 
 be put into operation again, with a consequent loss of income to the 
 State, and loss of employment for inmates. Temporary quarters were 
 found for all the shops and the work proceeded, although handicapped 
 by lack of room. Fortunately the legislature was in session and an 
 appropriation for two single-story buildings, to take the place of the 
 burned building, was made. One of these buildings is practically com- 
 pleted at this writing,, and the other is well under way. When finished, 
 the shops will have modern quarters and will be prepared to do a greater 
 amount of work. High prices of materials and delays in transportation 
 handicapped our industrial departments greatly. Despite all these 
 handicaps the industries have been able to show a reasonable profit. 
 During the next biennial period great progress should be shown in all 
 lines of industry. 
 
 With the employment of a dietitian it was possible to undertake 
 canning and dehydrating, with the result that during the past year over 
 45,000 cans of various vegetables were put up. Dehydrating of products 
 has also proven very successful, and it is believed that there is a great 
 future for this sort of work among institutions in this State. Plans for 
 the next biennium include the dehydrating of a large number of vege- 
 tables and canning a sufficient amount of corn, beans and tomatoes to 
 supply all the penal institutions in the State. Hot only will this provide 
 a profitable industry for this institution, and result in giving pleasant 
 employment to many of the inmates, but it should prove a great economy 
 to the other institutions of the State. 
 
 The revolving fund, under which purchases could be made and 
 profits accrue, has proven very successful indeed. Under it, it is possible 
 to undertake the operation of industries in a satisfactorj^ manner with- 
 out continual appeals for money, or the necessity of continual appropria- 
 tions. It permits the expansion of industries in the institution. With 
 a somewhat larger fund during the next biennium this institution should 
 be able to undertake a number of industries that are now in their infancy. 
 The canning and dehydrating plant should be expanded to a point where 
 it can furnish practically all State institutions with canned and dehy- 
 drated products. The print shop could be enlarged and equipped to the 
 point where it could take care of practically all the State’s printing 
 needs. The manufacture of license plates for automobiles could be 
 readily handled under this fund. 
 

 6 THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE 
 
 PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE INSTITUTION 
 
 The physical condition of the institution has improved greatly in 
 the past two years, but there is still a great deal of work to be done. 
 
 The painters have been continually busy throughout the two years, 
 and the buildings present a much neater appearance. 
 
 Practically all of the pipe in the tunnels has been covered, and 
 the tunnels cleaned out. This should result in a saving of coal, which 
 will more than pay for the work in the next few years. 
 
 A new hot water system has been put in and a new cold storage 
 system is now being installed. Porches have been added to some of the 
 buildings, and several new walks laid. An outside garage has been built 
 and new buildings erected on the farm, including a splendid ice house. 
 Some farm land has been added by the removal of a large number of 
 stumps and trees, and this, with the fences which .have been put up, has 
 improved the farm greatly. If the present plans for the next biennium 
 are carried out the institution should be in better shape than it has been 
 for many years. 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS 
 
 I would recommend that legislation be enacted that will permit the 
 payment of a reasonable amount to inmates employed in profitable in- 
 dustries in the institution. Not only would this benefit the family of 
 the prisoner on the outside, but would in many cases permit of the 
 saving of small amounts, which would permit the prisoner to go out into 
 the world, when he is released, with a credit which would tide him over 
 until he was well established. 
 
 I would recommend that legislation be enacted providing that where 
 a prisoner receives the maximum sentence under the law he could be 
 transferred to one of the State penitentiaries. The imposing of the 
 maximum sentence on prisoners precludes the idea of reformation and 
 release upon reformation. The intention of those responsible'" for the „ 
 creation of the Keformatory Act was that this should not be an institu- 
 tion for the confinement of long-time prisoners, but for young, first 
 offenders, in particular, and all cases where a short sentence might lead 
 to reformation. I would recommend that legislation be enacted pro- 
 viding that no second offender, 21 years of age or over, should be sent 
 to the reformatory. 
 
 It is recommended that a separate reformatory for prisoners from 
 Cook County be established, and that this institution receive only those 
 from other parts of the State. At the present time one-half of the 
 prisoners here are from Cook County. Due to local conditions they are 
 of a different type from the remainder of the prisoners here, and con- 
 tact with them is not usually helpful to the prisoners from down-state. 
 
 At the present time the House of Correction has very few inmates, and 
 with practically no addition to the plant would make a reformatory for 
 prisoners from Cook County. A great deal of money would be saved the 
 
ILLINOIS STATE REFORMATORY 
 
 7 
 
 State in transportation if this were done, and at the same time parents 
 should be pleased, as they would save a great deal of money in visiting 
 prisoners. I firmly believe that if this institution needed to take care 
 of but half the prisoners now confined here much better results would 
 be obtained, and the expense of conducting the institution greatly 
 reduced. 
 
 I would recommend that an appropriation.be secured for the pur- 
 chase of additional land. The present acreage does not provide sufficient 
 employment for the inmates of the institution. The State can run a 
 farm much more economically than any farmer, due to the cheapness 
 of the labor, and a greater profit should therefore be obtained from the 
 land, while at the same time more prisoners could be given healthy work 
 out of doors. This same recommendation has been made by practically 
 every superintendent of the institution since its establishment. There 
 is no question but that it should be carried out and that the purchase of 
 land would be of benefit to the institution and to the State, and at the 
 same time prove financially a success. 
 
 I believe that steps should be taken looking forward to securing an 
 adequate water suppty for the institution separate from the present local 
 supply. At the present time the State is spending $10,000 per year for 
 water, alone. This amounts to interest on about $175,000, and there is 
 no question but what it is poor financial policy to expend this amount 
 if a good water supply could be owned and operated. Two methods are, 
 
 I believe, feasible : One to bring a pipe line from the river to the insti- 
 tution, handling the water here at the power house with the present force, 
 with possibly a slight addition. The other is the bringing of water from 
 deep wells to the reservoirs now at the reformatory. It is known that 
 
 II or 12 miles from the institution there are artesian wells which pro- 
 vide a constant flow. It is believed that by gravity water could be 
 brought from these wells, or similar wells, to the three reservoirs now 
 existing on the grounds, and a sufficient supply assured to meet the 
 needs of the reformatory. It would be necessary to have the engineering 
 department study the matter and make recommendation, but I believe in 
 view of the expense of supplying water to the State, under the present 
 system, immediate action should be taken. 
 
 During the biennium, salaries have been increased to a point within 
 hailing distance of the high cost of living. The result has been a better 
 class of employees and better service to the State and to the institution. 
 It is to be hoped that these salaries will not be reduced for a long time 
 to come. 
 
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