#collins bay penitentary

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“GIVE THEM THEIR CHANCE.” Montreal Star. March 4, 1930. Page 10. ---- AT LONG LAST Canada is to make an attempt to follow modern practice in the treatment of first offenders in at least two of her penitentiaries. In yesterday's Star it was announced that the big prison at St. Vincent de Paul will have a separate department constructed, constituting an independent organization which will be kept for the imprisonment only of first offenders.

It is a thing that should have been done years ago, not only at St. Vincent de Paul, but throughout all the penitentiaries of the country. The indiscriminate mixing up of young men, often little more than boys, who have committed a crime serious enough to justify a penitentiary rather than a jail sentence, but have so offended for the first time, with men who have apparently made crime a life profession is a scandal which has survived from the "good old days". What we been doing from time immemorial has been to subject the young criminal to influences against which, ninety-nine times out of one hundred, he has had no chance in the world. It is a question whether any offence which the young criminal can commit against society can be any more serious (if as serious) than the crime which society commits against him when it condemns him to years of association in circumstances which virtually make of him a criminal for life.

The work which has been commenced at St. Vincent de Paul is, according to report, to be undertaken also at Kingston. That is excellent, so far as it goes; but it does not go far enough. Canadian penitentiaries are under federal control. It is therefore only a matter of money - and not a great deal of money at that - which stands between the many young offenders at present behind their bars and at least an even chance for that reformation for which we all profess such fervent hopes and have so far done so little.

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“YOUNG PRISONERS TO BE SEGREGATED,” Montreal Star. March 3, 1930. Page 2. ---- Plan For Separate Institution at St. Vincent de Paul Outlined --- PROPERTY BOUGHT ---- Warden Says Move Will Mark New Treatment of Juvenile Offenders ---- The proposed erection of a separate institution at St. Vincent de Paul for the housing of young criminals, is a definite step forward in the scientific treatment of juvenile offenders, Lieut-Cal. P. A. Piuze, warden of the Vincent de Paul Penitentiary told The Star today.

Col. Piuze commented on the recent statement at Kingston, Ont., of Brig-Gen. W. St. Pierre Hughes, inspector general of penitentiaries of the Dominion Department of Justice, regarding the proposal to establish "preferred class penitentiary," in that district and at St. Vincent de Paul.

The Government has acquired more than 400 acres, comprising nearly all of the lower part of the village, in the district of Penitentiary street to the Lussier estate, and bounded by St. Almond street, which will be converted into penitentiary reserve. The new building will be built on the Lussier estate grounds

SEGREGATION NEEDED C. Piuze explained that the idea is to separate the first offenders, usually young men, from the older inmates. He felt that it would serve to allow no opportunity for the recidivists to communicate any wrong impressions to the newcomers.

With regard to the building itself, nothing definite has been formulated apart from the segregation proposal. The matter is being studied, Col. Piuze said, and when the authorities at Ottawa have completed their survey, a draft containing proper instructions will be forwarded to the various criminal Institutions.

"Everything will be carried out on modern lines,” Col. Piuze said, "and will meet any new requirements which may have arisen during the survey A property will be shod, leaving a clear field of the warden declined to say whether he would assume charge of both penitentiaries They will be conducted as two separate institutions,’ he said “but it is possible that the administration will be handled from here.

Col. Piuze looked on the move as highly providential. "Young men who come here for the first time should be treated differently," he said. “Two different disciplines should be employed." 

LAUDS SYSTEM. The warden said that without criticising other institutions, he felt that the Canadian prison is the best in the word. This is partly due to the fact that in Canada, the jails are conducted along the same line as in England. He contrasted the closing up of jails in England and the need for more prisons in the United States to support his statements. 

Col. Piuze felt that there is something lacking in the American system. “Perhaps the reason lies in that their change for for every state, while in we have a uniform prison administration throughout the country."

“The treatment and discipline here does not change, and we always keep in mind that it is a penitentiary and not a college or university. There is no mollycoding, and we do not pretend to offer exaggerated recreational activities. In place of  this, we offer good libraries, good schools and good workshops, where our inmates are enabled to learn a useful trade and educate themselves to better citizens,"

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“Altona Robbers Get Terms In Kingston and Portsmouth,” Stouffville Sun-Tribune. July 14, 1938. Page 01. --- Jack Bennett [TOP] was sentenced to three years in Portsmouth Penitentiary by Magistrate Ebbs at Whitby on Tuesday on charges of breaking, entering and theft and armed robbery, and Richard Ough [BOTTOM] was given a term of two years in Kingston.

‘This was very serious business, Bennett,’ said Magistrate Ebbs to the accused man. ‘You were told enough and apparently knew what you were doing when you robbed the cashier at the point of a gun.’

‘I consider you equally as guilty as Bennett,’ the magistrate told Ough. ‘You were the look out man. You drove the car, and I believe Bennett was under your influence. He is still trying to shield you, possibly through fear.’

Jack Bennett and Richard Ough were convicted of armed robbery at Madill’s store in Altona, on June 2, [and] were both sentenced Tuesday of this week when they appeared before Magistrate F. S. Ebbs in Whitby. Jack Bennett had previously pleaded guilty to four counts and Ough had pleaded not guilty to the armed robbery charge. Ough was convicted in this week’s court on a charge of receiving $55, part of the proceeds of the Palais Royale hold-up, from Bennett, who pleaded guilty to it last week. Ough pleaded not guilty on the receiving charge, but was convicted, after which the Crown withdrew the charge of robbery at the Palais Royale.

‘Bennett entered the door and said: ‘Hand it over or I’ll shoot you,’ stated Miss Mabel Bury, cashier at the Palais Royale, Toronto dance pavilion. Miss Berry said that Bennett reached over and took a roll of bills amounting to $850 with his right hand, while he held the revolver in his left. ‘He then old me not to move for two minutes or he’d shoot me,’ said Miss Berry, who told the court that the hold-up occurred shortly before eleven o’clock on the night of June 11th. She identified a five dollar bill found on the person of Ough by a notation she had made on the back of the bill. She said that she had not seen Ough on the night of the hold-up Ough stated at last week’s court that he drove Bennett to the corner of Queen and Roncesvalles streets and left him there early in the evening, and Bennett had corroborated this.

Detective-Sergeant William McAllister, of the Toronto police force, testified to searching Bennett’s room at 73 Yorkville Avenue, and finding a coat in the lining of which was a wallet containing $218. Bennett was carrying $26.18 on his person when arrested, stated the Detective.

[AL: Both men were artists and high school educated. Bennett had no previous criminal record, was married, from Toronto, a musician, and unemployed for six months. He was convict #5129 and worked in the mail bags. In November 1938 he was transferred to the low security Collin’s Bay Penitentiary, and was released from there by parole in early 1940. Ouch also had no criminal record, had been unemployed a month from his commercial artist job. He was 21 years and single. He was convict #5128 at the Penitentary and worked as a cleaner. In November 1938, like Bennett, he was transferred to Collin’s Bay and released from there in early 1940.]