The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-09-26

ton and relegates to the rear the un-
worthy. Those who cannot or do not
wish to qualify as worthy of parole
privileges will be at least benefited by
its presence. Its judicial application
will raise the moral tone Of the prison
and will teach every inmate, in spite Of
himself, some of the most statutory les
sons of life, thus laying foundation
for self government and discipline
which would have saved many of them
from the felon's cell had they enjoyed
it's benefits earlier in life. BY careful
supervision it will give the manage
ment almost perfect control of all its
wards under such favorable conditions |
as to inspire in the prisoner an inner
consciousness that he is and must be
master of himself; that whatever dis
ciplinary measures are inflicted are
self-imposed; that in proportion as he
succeeds in gaining good grade stand
ing he contributes to condition of
self government and makes himself
better man.
This knowledge stimulates him in
his efforts to overcome his weaknesses
and in the cultivation of habits Of in
dustry, good order and manly conduct.
Under it's stimulus the whole atmos
phere of the prison is raised to higher
plane. Cheerful obedience to all rules
and regulations are given in spirit of
good will. The prisoner must recog-
niZe and cannot but feel (unleSs wholly
bad) that the interests of the admins
tration are his own best interests; that
in proportion as it succeeds he also
must succeed.
AS the object Of Imprisonment and
prison government is for the protec-
tion of society and for the reformation
of the prisoner, it is plain that the state
does not discharge it's obligation until
one or both of these objects have been
clearly accomplished. If the prisoner
can not be reformed he should remain
in prison indefinitely.
The general use of the grading and
parole system in our prisons, together
with it's concomitant, the indeterminate
sentence, seems to me to open up the
way for the accomplishment Of both of
these results. The lines along which
, the parole system operates are in har-
mony with and a necessary part of the
5 indeterminate sentence. The best
5 prison managers of the country, as we'll
Y as other students of penOlOgy, have in
| dorsed the indeterminate sentence. 1t
| seems to me that their harmonious CO.
: operation will soon bring about in all
s of our prisons such uniform system
S of prison government as will embrace
not only the grading and parole system
4 in high degree of efficiency, but also
+ it's capsheaf, the indeterminate sen
o tence, together with such perfect sys
i tenn of Identification as will enable
g the management to quickly apprehent
n and return to prison those who will no
!. abstain from lives of crime.
n All students Of penology agree tina
e person convicted of crime should b
L. committed to prison as the insane per
" son to an asylum, to remain there un
le til cured or until it shall appear reason
l. ably safe to test his purpose and abilit
r. to lead an honest life, and that whel
T. the prisoner has given such evidenc
IS of his purpose to lead an honest an
le self-supporting life, he is entitled t
as trial. How can he be schooled for cit
st izenship in prison without the gradin
n. system? How tried, when he has al
at parently given all necessary proof c
OF his ability to live honestly, without tn
rs parole system? And finally, how ca
Ill substantial benefits be derived in tn
on way of protection to society and th
he reformation Of the criminal withor
n the indeterminate sentence?
I'd Men convicted Of crimes who posse!
criminal instincts and follow lives {
re crime from choice dislike nothing s
ny much as the grading and parole syster
nd the indeterminate sentence, and tt
rk Bertillion system of measurement Fl
ut the Identification of criminals. In q
la of these systems he almost intuitive