The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-07-02
A PRISONERS, AID AGENCY.

About two years ago there was consider
able talk in this state of organizing pris-
oners' aid society; but since then the matter
has ceased to be agitated. This loss of in
terest in the matter is not because the call
for such a society has passed away. 1t has
simply been neglected by those whose duty
it is, if it can be considered the duty of any,
one. to promote such an undertaking. It
is not work that should be left for private
philanthropy to undertake. 1t is duty
for the state to perform, not for the well
fare of discharged prisoners alone, but in
behalf of its own pecuniary interests. Such
a work should be department of the State
Corrections and Charities and be conducted
as an auxiliary to the penal system. Until
some arrangement is made. for providing for
the immediate safe establishment of those
released from prison, the state will lose the
benefits which it expects to derive from
maintaining courts and prisons for the cor
rection of it's criminal classes. It matters
little how wholesomely and economically
the prisons may be managed, if those who
are turned out of them shortly return to
their depredations, it is lost investment.
And it is fact that great many do resume
their criminal ways again in short time
after they are returned to the free world,
and of these there are some who would be-
come offenders again in spite of all that
could be done; but there are great many
more who. if taken in hand as soon as re-
leased and put in position where they
may earn living. would not become a
scourge and an expense to the state again.
Minnesota is more liberal in money allow
ances to her discharged convicts than most
other states. and it is very rarely the case
that man leaves the prison who has not
enough money to keep him a month if judi
cially expended. Railway fare is cheap and
a person may travel long distance for a
few dollars. So man discharged from this
prison should ordinarily be able to provide
employment for himself before his allow
ance from the state is exhausted. But. not
withstandng what might be, the fact is that
through improvidence. ill luck or want of
energy and the know how they fail to secure
employment before their capital is con-
sumed. They are then in fit state to beg
or steal and most men prefer to do the lat
ter. What they need is a place to begin
work as soon as they leave the prison.
This cannot be unless some one outside acts
as an agent to secure them places. The
state should appoint this agent and pay him
to act as the guardian of all discharged
prisoners who have no friends to act in that
capacity. This agent should act in con-
junction with the prison officials so that he
may become acquainted with the DISPOSE
ton. capabilities and needs of every man
discharged. He should visit them in the
prison and learn as much as he can OF their
characters and aims so that he may act in
diligently in whatever he undertakes in
their behalf.
Such work is being done in several other
states by private societies some of which
are aided by the public treasury. In few
states there are state agents who act in con-
junction with the prisoners aid societies,
and all OF them. of whatever nature, claim
good results from their work. Perhaps
they overestimate the number of men they
save from relapsing into criminal ways by
counting as the result of their work all who