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The Border Vidette
Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona
What is this article about?
Criticism of Arizona's legislative neglect leading to poor conditions at Florence state penitentiary, including inadequate quarters causing escapes and idleness from lack of work. Last legislature appropriated $491,160; warden blames obsolete facilities. Call for action based on National Society report.
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The National Society of Penal Information in a handbook recently issued declares that a "near-sighted legislative policy of indifference and neglect" has been the cause of distressing conditions at the Arizona state penitentiary at Florence.
M. J. Francis, member of the appropriations committee of the legislature, rises to defend his state by pointing out that the last legislature provided $491,160 for the prison and additional buildings.
And Lorenzo Wright, warden, declares "The whole trouble is that we are trying to get by with an obsolete prison."
Arizona's prison policy has been at fault. The appropriations of the last legislature do not constitute a prison policy; the appropriations rather meet an emergency caused by a "policy of indifference and neglect" established over a long period of years.
Inadequate quarters and lack of work are the chief causes of the evils of prison life in Arizona. Inadequate quarters has resulted in laxity in enforcing rules, carelessness in supervision of trusties and in numerous escapes; lack of work has bred idleness and idleness in turn has bred mischief.
The Star has been pleading for years for the public to do something about straightening out the situation at Florence and its plea has met with sharp denials from wardens and executive officers, while conditions have remained unchanged. It has taken prison breaks and killings to arouse eastern states to correct conditions in their penitentiaries; we hope that the mere report of the National Society of Penal Information may be enough to spur Arizona into action and to clean up its prison.
—Arizona Daily Star
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Florence, Arizona
Key Persons
Outcome
inadequate quarters resulted in laxity in enforcing rules, carelessness in supervision of trusties, and numerous escapes; lack of work bred idleness and mischief; prison breaks and killings aroused other states to action
Event Details
The National Society of Penal Information declared that a near-sighted legislative policy of indifference and neglect caused distressing conditions at the Arizona state penitentiary at Florence. M. J. Francis defended the state by noting the last legislature provided $491,160 for the prison and additional buildings. Warden Lorenzo Wright stated the trouble was trying to get by with an obsolete prison. Arizona's prison policy has been at fault, with appropriations meeting an emergency from long-term neglect. Inadequate quarters and lack of work are chief causes of evils in prison life. The Arizona Daily Star has pleaded for years to straighten out the situation, met with denials, and hopes the report spurs action to clean up the prison.