The Review, Vol. 1, No. 10, October, 1911

The Review" is a 1911 monthly issued by the National Prisoners’ Aid Association, giving a snapshot of early‑twentieth‑century concerns about America’s correctional system. Inside, editors assemble reports from superintendents, psychologists, and reformers, all wrestling with a single question: how many inmates suffer from mental or constitutional weakness? The tone is earnest, reflecting a reformist urge to improve conditions for a diverse offender population.

The issue presents a collage of statistics—ranging from a few percent in Wyoming to over half in states like Kansas and Minnesota—showing how widely the problem was perceived. Readers encounter excerpts from women’s reformatory studies, boys’ industrial schools, and juvenile homes, each describing a substantial share of inmates labeled “subnormal” or “defective.” The commentary notes the difficulty of classification and the impact of mixing able and unable prisoners on rehabilitation.

For listeners, the material offers a window into the debates that shaped modern penology and invites reflection on how far the conversation about mental health in prisons has come. It underscores the lingering challenges that early reformers identified, many of which still resonate today.