A 1915 deep dive into modernizing Missouri’s prison system, with clear paths to humane treatment and real reform.
This report records a state committee’s extensive inspections of prisons across the United States and Canada. It argues for replacing outdated practices with programs that emphasize self-sufficiency, education, and fair labor, while protecting taxpayers and society. The document lays out practical recommendations, from ending private contracts to expanding state-run industries and education.
- Understands how other states shifted from private contracts to trusted, humane management.
- Advocates a state Use System to streamline purchasing and support prison industries that benefit the public.
- Promotes indeterminate sentencing, individualized inmate study, and rehabilitative work that serves both the prisoner and the state.
- Recommends safeguards against politicized appointments and emphasizes humanistic, science-based approaches to reform.
Ideal for readers seeking historical perspectives on prison reform, public policy, and the evolution of correctional practices in Missouri.