Blog – Joseph Papin Artist

Joseph Papin – NYC prison drawings – The Tombs

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JPapin
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“The ‘Time Bomb’ On Centre Street So Warden Albert Glick describes The Tombs, a prison ticking away with the volatile ills of overcrowding, neglect, a lethargic system of justice and the frustrations and hopelessness of men penned up.” (Article by Donald Flynn, Drawings by Joseph Papin, Sunday News, January 23, 1972).


“The first thing that hits you is the closed-in sensation – the claustrophobia.’


“Tomb’s Warden Albert Glick: ‘More inmates now than at the time of the riots’.”


“The daddy of all the problems is overcrowding … and a cell that has more than one inmate in it is overcrowded.”

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Comments

2 responses to “Joseph Papin – NYC prison drawings – The Tombs”

  1. Brenda Scatterty Avatar
    Brenda Scatterty

    This is so tragic; first that human beings are at this point in their lives and second, that the conditions are inhumane. If there is any chance at all for rehabilitation after sentence completion, it seems unlikely with this kind of existence! Very impactful depiction in the drawings!

    Reply
    1. JPapin Avatar
      JPapin

      Thank you Brenda. The terrible tragedy of The Tombs was that it was a prison for people awaiting trial – they had not had an opportunity to be pronounced innocent or guilty of what they were been charged for. People could languish there for months or years.

      Reply

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