Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-01-05
PRISON REFORM!
An Advocate Of the Parole
Sentence System.
REVELATIONS OF OUR STATE PRISON.
Not a Single Effort Made BY
Our State to Relieve
Criminals.
WOyDROUS RESULTS ATTAINED NOHIO
In Oregon the Convicted Man
Goes Out of Prison De-
graded If Possible.
TILE CONVICT PAROLE SYSTEM.

THE CONVICT PAROLE SYSTEM.
EDS. JOURNAL. ! am pleased to
note in your issue Of the 18th inst,
that some sound thinker brought
forward the subject Of convict Parole
or indefinite sentence, AZ measure
Of reform that the Legislature, soon
10 meet, should give attention to.
That our preseat system Of punish
ments utterly fails to attain the OBJ
jects sought viz: first, the reforma-
tlon of the criminal and second, the
prevention of crime, all who are
familiar with the subject admit.
That something ought 10 be done
and that speedily, the constantly In.
creasing number Of confirmed viola
tors of law il the best Of proof. The
Parole or indefinite sentence Is the
only practical remedy. 1t provides
means that have heretofore been
lacking whereby the majority Of
conYicts can be reclaimed for useful
honest life and the hardened, con-
flrmed, criminal forever restrained
from repeating his crime and teach
ing Others to become like him. The
beauty of the system is It's simple
ity. Let the legislature amend the
present laws 80 that for each oflense
there shall he an indefinite term of
imprisonment and not a specified
term Of years, as at present. The
object being TO confine the convict
Till his reformation Ii complete and
he fit for the duties Of citizenship,
be the time necessary to accomplish
this long or short. To carry out
this object, let there be appointed Il
Board OF Parole, made up in part,
at least, Of men who have made
penology a study, giving the system
the benefit Of their knowledge of
criminals and their management.
This Board should be entirely sepa-
rate from the general prison man
agement, in this way all complica-
tlons will be avoided aud its entire
attention given TO its duties under
the law. Let the Board visit the
prison at stated times, say once In
every month aud there hold session,
investigating the conduct of each
aud every convict, 70 facilitate
their labors let II be made the duty
OF the prison officers, particularly OF
the warden aud his deputy, to daily
keep n correct account Of every con.
victs conduct. They should closely
watch the convicts' manner, Ian
guaRe and department, noting every
act aud circumstance that tends in
any way TO throw light upon the
convlcis' character. or this and all |
other information that can be OBJ |
tained, let the Board take notice |
aud when In the opinion Of its men-
bers, n convict il believed 10 be re.
formed, when they have reason 10
believe his habits are so changed
that he will lead an houost life, then
the Board shall summon said con.
Wet To appear before IL aud shall
make dilligent enquiry into all the
circumstances aud evidence that
show this fitness for useful life and
Il there is sufficient evidence TO
the belief that he Is
changed and reformed man, that he
Viii lead an honest. useful life, then
he Board shall issue To such convict
Parole, conditioned on his behav-
or. Let Il part Of the conditions be
hat he will report his whereabouts
employment and such other facts as
may he deemed best, TO the Board
quarterly. The chief condition oil
he Parole should be that he viii !
cad a temperate, honest, industrious
lie aud that he will not violate the
avs OF the state In amy way. /
should lac at any time violate hls
Parole llhe history OF the system |
where tried proves that violations
ire extremely mrc), the Board /
hall order his return to the prison
Without further proocss Of law.
This gives n crude outline "a gen.
nl Idea Of the system la favor of
which there are 80 many strong AT.