The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-03-24
TO BE PAROLED.

TO BE PAROLED.
The Governor Will Hereafter Issue
Conditional PardOns to State Prison
COnvfcts--A Long Stride in the Right
Direction.
Governor Merriam has considered favor
ably the recommendation of the warden and
board of managers of this prison and the
board of corrections and charities to estab.
lish system of paroles. by conditional
pardOns, for the release of convicts, and on
ulations printed below:
1 have carefully considered the recomm en- alton
of the committee and am inclined to regard it
favorably, and have decided to make trial of the
proposed system, provided that your honorable
body is disposed to cooperate in such a trial.
with the understanding that if, after a reasonable
time the system does not prove satisfactory it
shall be discontinued.
propose putting this plan in operation under
the following regulations for the conditional par
don of state prison convicts from the Minnesota
state prison:
Whereas, the legislature of Minnesota in 1889
enacted that the board of managers of the state
reformatory may cause to be transferred any
person or prisoner confined in the state prison
and who is serving out his first sentence therein
to the:reformatory, under such rules and regula-
tions as the board of managers of said state
reformatory and the board of managers of the
state prison in joint session shall prescribe" and
provided for the parole of such prisoners under
like regulation to those governing other prisoners
in said reformatory; and.
Whereas the provisions for the parole of state
prison convicts under such legislation are inoper.
alive for lack of room at the state reformatory;
therefore, the governor of Minnesota. by virtue
of the prerogative vested in him by the consttu.
ton, wishing to secure to the prisoners of the
state those privileges which the state legislature
intended to bestow and believing that such action
will conduce to the reformat ton of convicts. good
discipline and the public welfare hereby estab.
fishes the following regulations for conditional
pardons
First-These regulations shall apply only to
| convicts who are serving their first sentence in
the Minnesota state prison and are not known to
have served time for a felony in any other prison;
| and it shall be the duty of the prison warden to
inform himself far as practicable as to the
| previous prison record Of convicts under his
| charge.
Second-No prisoner shall be eligible for a con-
ditional pardon who has not served at least the
minimum time prescribed by law for the punish.
ment of his ofense. unless his sentence be for one
year or less.
Thrd-No prisoner sentenced for one year or
less shall receive conditional pardon before
he has served at least two. thirds of his sentence
Fourth-The board of managers shall establish
three grades with system of marks under such
| regulations as they may prescribe and only first
grade men shall be eligible for a conditional par.
don.
Fifth-The board of managers shall not enter.
tain any petition, receive any written communica.
ton or hear any argument from any attorney or
other person connected with the prison in favor
OF the conditional pardon of any convict.
Sixth-An applications for conditional pardons
shall be made to the board of managers through
the warden, but no such application shall be con.
sidered by the board of managers until the war.
den shall file written statement comprising (a)
The fact that the convict has served the minimum
time prescribed by the law for his offense or. if
sentenced for year or less. that he has served
two.thirds of his time. (b) The fact that the
convict has not so far ascertainable. served
| sentence previously in any prison for felony.
(c) full statement of his prison record showing
lAot AC 10 Ill Srdue anu mas Cledr record
for at least three months preceding. I'D The
warden's statement that in his opinion the con.
vict. if released, will lead an honorable and up.
right life, and that his release would be for the
public welfare. this opinion to be based. not sim.
ply upon the convcts prison record, but also
upon the warden's judgment as to his actual pur.
poses and character.
Seventh-No convict shall receive a conditional
pardon unless four members of the board of man.
| ayers shall recommend the same in writing, stat.
ing that in their opinion. if released he will lead
an upright and honorable life. and that his condi-
tional release will be for the public welfare.
Eighth-The board of managers, before passing
upon an application for conditional pardon shall
call the applicant before them and examine him
with view to forming an independent impression
as to his fitness for release: they shall also ques-
ton one or more of the subordinate prison officers
to the same end; and they may. if they deem
proper. institute inquiries by correspondence or
otherwise as to his previous history or character.
Ninth-No conditional pardon shall take effect