Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-05
THE PROBATION PLAN.

It IS sad truth that by the prevalent sys- tenn of dealing with criminals young offend CTS and all those just entering upon criminal carserusually get quite as much harm as good in our prisons. A first offense is often the result of sudden impulse rather than settled dis position to crime But if the committer of
 that offense spends g term in prison he too often comes out more reckless than when he went in, with less self-respect and
 more decided tendencies towards warning
 against the interests of society. It would be
 strange if such were not the case, for mo-
 where does the criminal disposition receive
 such encouragement as in prison.
 Philanthropic men and women are begin
 ming to realize that if they would save many
 of those inclined to crime they must take
 them before they have, by repeated crimes
 and contact in prisons with older and more
 hardened criminals, lost all desire for reform
 or become incapable of 1t. Various reforma-
 tory experiments in this direction are now
 making, and one of the most promising of
 them is that which has been in operation in
 Boston for year and half, and with excel
 lent results. It is the probation plan. By
 this plan an officer appointed for the purpose investigates the character of offenders with 6
 view to ascertaining if they will reform with
 out punishment. Those offenders concerning
 whom he reports favorably to the court are released on probation. They thus escape the disgrace and danger of going to prison, and are given 8 chance to turn from the error of their ways and helped to do so. Ifthey violate the terms of their probation they are sent to
 prison. It speaks we'll for the working of the system that, though in fourteen months more than five hundred have been placed on proba- tion in Boston, only ffty-fve have fallen.
 So obvious and great are the benefits of the system in Boston that it is now proposed to extend it to the other cities and even the towns of the State. To this end a bill has been re- ported to the Massachusetts Legislature by the Committee on Prisons. This bill authorizes the Aldermen of any city or the Selectmen of any town to establish the office of probation officer. This officer is to be appointed by the Mayor of any city Subject to the confirmation of the Aldermen of said city) or by the Selectmsn of any town. But the bill not only authorizes the placing of persons on probation before trial. It says that any probation officer may, with the consent of the county commission CTS of the county in which he is appointed. or by their request, investigate the case of any person imprisoned in any jail or house of cor rection for any offense other than a felony, upon sentence of not more than six months or upon 8 longer sentence, of which not more than six months remain unexpired, with a view to ascertaining the probability of the reformation of such person if released from imprisonment. If, after such investigation, the probation officer shall recommend the re- lease of the prisoner, and the court which im- posed the sentence Cor, in case of the Superior Court, the district attorney) shall certify con currence in such recommendation, the county commissioners may, if they deem it expedi- ent. release him upon probation, upon such conditions as they deem best, and they may require bonds for the fnlflIment of said condi- | tions. The surety upon any such bond shall have authority and right ct any time to take and surrender his principal to the prison ! whence he was released. Requiring the con- sent of the court secures the opinion of the l Government officer most interested In keep ing the prisoner in confinement, and it is hardly possible that person undeserving of | clemency will secure the concurrent endorse ment of the judge, the probation officer and the county commissioners. Concerning the | failure of prisoner to keep the conditions of | his probation the bill says: eff Zany prisoner ! released from a jail or house of correction | upon probation shall be returned thereto for | violation of the conditions of the same, he shall be detained according to the terms of | his original sentence, and, in computing the l period of his confinement, the time between | his release upon probation and his return to the prison shall not be taken to be any part l of the term of the sentence"
 The bill is well guarded and is warmly en- dorsed by many who have had large expert ence with the criminal classes. If it passes we expect to see the probation plan work as well in other cities and towns as it has in 1