The Michigan Slate Prison

The annual report of the Inspectors of the State Prison for tho yuar ending September 3Oth, 187Ü, Buts forth tliat : AN INCRKASK1) NU.M1UÍK. The numbor of conviois in thu prison has cuntiuuetl tu groatly morcase. With 703 at. the begiuniug of thu present year, the numbor bas stoadily swollen uutil at its close wo nml it inuroasod to 788, or an acoession of 8. to tho rogular population of the prisou. Tho averago numbor of convicts in the prisou during the year 1874, in round nuinbors, was C87, whilo the avorage in 1878 luis been 739, showing an average addition throughout the prosont year of 52 over tho average nuuiber of last year. THE FIGURES FOR TUK YEAR. Within the last year 391 prisoners wero reouived into and 281 dischargud from the prison. Of the numbor reoeived only sixty were convicted of a second ofienso, and of these barely thirty-eight were of thoso who had previously, at any time, been dischargod from this prison. This fact would seem to uontradict the statement so often made, at least 80 far as relates to this prison, that the great majority of discharged convicta rotate right back. PERSONAL STATISTICS. Of the convicts who carne inio tho prison during the year, aevonty-one per cent., or nearly three-fourths of the eutire number, were under the age of miriy yeaiR, ana aDOui toe same percoutage were uiimarried persons, without a permanent settlement or home of their own. This fact seems to clearly demónstrate that wit'e, childrun and home ure preventivos of crime, and that these influences, espeoially in early lii'e, are among the most potent to enable men to rusist the temptations to evil. Eeferring again to tho prisoners received during the year, we fiud that ninety-nine per cent. were vigorous, healthy men, of whom only fourteen per cent ever eerved an apprenticeship, or regulirly learncd a trade or profession. Nearly all were without any business training or pursuit, and were left to find a way to inake their living as beBt they could, and probably trom want of skilied occupation, easily drifted into habits of laziness and crime. PAYING EXPENSES AND MORE. It is gratifying to know that even under adverse circumstauces the prison has paid its way, and that nut a dollar has been drawn froin the taxpayerg of the State for its support. It commeuced to be self-supporting in 1869, and sílice that time has nut only paid all its running expenses of every nature and kind, but, in addition thereto, has paid toward the constructiou of the new prison walls the sum of $17.482.77, and for the erection of the new cooper shop $3,337.17. The increase in amouut ot' personal property for tho same time is $19,171.38. The excess due froin contractors over 1869 is $18,970.33, making a grand total oí earniugs and profita witiiin these seven years accruing to the benefit of tha State of $58,961.65. To continue to thus realize from year to year a large excess of receipts over and above all expeuditures is an expectation which the Board of lnspectors hope to realize, but which they confess is not prospectively clear and certain. WHAT IS OWING THE PRISON. The Boord of Inspectora have received no report froin John Morris, ageut of the State Prison, but the followin summary of the transactions of the year is furnished froin the prison records by the clork of the Board : The amount due from contracto for convict labor ia - $36,928 09 The amount due for support of Uoited States couvicts, - - 834 17 84ü,7li2 26 The indebtedness of the prison September 30, 1875, - - $12,273 59 Aruonnt due prison over indebtedness, $20,488 6" THE CHAPLAIN'S REPORT. The chaplain, George W. Hickox, reports that in the department of the ohaplaincy few if any special changos or improveinents are ready for presen tation. But a general advancement, reaching to the parts and detail of the work is evident, and is worthy a passing recognition. The prison school has been conducted the past year nearly as the year previous ; and there is an encouraging improvemeut in the application and temper of those in attendance. An offort in teaching has been regularly and faithfully made, one hour in each week during the year, by teaohers, both freemen and convicts, who give the timo permittod to this work. As a school, however, and as furnishing the only ineans for the instructiou of our convicts, it is us inadequate as unsatisfactory. There is a troublesome weakness, a partial and hurtful absence of systeui, in the only effort we have been able to put f'orth in secular education. These things being so, we anticipatt with a degree of pleasure to report ae the close of the coming year, the organization and the working of a school in which systematic and daily instruotion is being given in all the branohes oí common school education. HEALTH. The prison physician, Edwin L. Kimball, ruports that the number who have died during tho year was ten ; the nuinbor of days lost by sicknosg, 6,838 ; the number of cases treated, 1,450; the aumber of surgical oases, 215.