The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-10-10
IMPORTANT TO PRISONERS.
A State Board of PardOns Recon-.
mended by Secretary Hart.


The Minneapolis Tribune publishes let
ter from Secretary Hart, of the state board
of charities and corrections, relative to eS-
tablishing in this state board of pardOns.
The letter was written by request of In
spector Norrish. Following is the substance
of the letter as published by the Tribune:
The states of Connecticut, New ], rsey. Ohio and
Massachusetts have boards of pardon. In the
states of New York, Ohio Massachusetts, Penn
sylvania. Minnesota and Kansas there are laws
providing for the conditional release of prisoners
from reformatory prisons by the managers of such
prisons, but parole is a different thing from a
pardon.
In Massachusettstthe Governor and council con-
stitute board of pardons with the Lieutenant
Governor chairman. This plan has been in
operation many years. Ohio has a board of par
dons, but have been unable to find the law
governing the board. Connecticut has board Of
six persons, including the Governor, judge Of
the supreme court of errors and physician The
board is non-partsan and all must concur The
board has clerk and has power to send for per-
sons and papers. The constitution of New Jersey
provides for a court of pardons consisting of the
Governor, the chancellor and six judges Of the
court OF errors ana appears lue dHo d
majority of the board must concur. The legisla
ture of Oregon, in the year 1885, created an adj
vsory board of pardOns consisting of three men,
bers, to hold office four years, and were without
compensation save actual expenses, but the
board abolished in 1887
With reference to a board of pardons for this
state, my views coincide very nearly with the
views expressed by Warden Stordock in recent
ind, 0fa
board of pardons should consist of four members,
with the Governor ex-offcio. The law should
provide that not more than half of the board
should be members of the same political party.
think that the board should contain two lawyers
and. perhaps, one physician. The appointments
should be made in such way as to secure fit men
and exclude political Influences. Warden Stor-
docks suggestion was that each district judge
nominate "a man, and the judges of the supreme
court appoint the board from those nominees and
that application by candidate or his friends
should dsqualify him for the office. The board
should have competent clerk; should have au-
tEor;ty to call for witnesses and papers; should
hold quarterly meetings; should have power to
regulate its own methods of procedure, and it
should have sufficient allowance for witness
fees and other necessary expenses, with, perhaps,
moderate per diem. The signing OF petitions by
not perfectly cognizant of the facts should
discouraged and the board should be
equ red to give fair and impartial considera-
ton to all applications regardless of any outside
influences. An agreement of three members and
he Governor should be required.
The work of board of pardons would be greatly
diminished by the adoption in this state of the
Ohio parole law. The parole system is already
provided for at the st. Cloud reformatory but in
Ohio the same system has been extended to first
offenders in the state prison The law provides
for the classification of prisoners and the mark
system. Prisoners receive general sentence to
the state prison, without specified term. The
term may be terminated by the board of managers,
but cannot be more than the maximum less
than the minimum term provided by law for the
crime, but the law specifies that "ln shall
prisoners be released unless there is, in the iudg
ment of the managers, reasonable grounds to be-
leve that he will if released, live without violat-
ing the law; and no petition or other form of APP
plication shall be considered by the board" Con-
victs sentenced to the Ohio state prison, not sub
iect to parole, gain good time follows: First
year, five days per month; second year, seven
days. third year, nine days; and thereafter ten
days per month. The ohio parole system is
similar to the ticket of leave system which has
been effective in Great Britain. In Ohio the
number OF prisoners has diminished under this
law and the number of applications for pardon
has decreased The results Of the law have been
satisfactory thus far
The states of Ohio, Illinois and Massachusetts
have passed laws for the punishment of habitual
criminals. The following is synopsis of the
Massachusetts law:
Laws of 1857! Chap. 4,35l.-Whoever has been
twice convicted of crime. sentenced and commit
to prison. in this any other state, for terms
of not less than three years EACH shall, upon
viction of felony committed in this state be
deemed to be an habitual criminal, and shall be