The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-06-11
HELPING MEN UP.

The idea once popular among the
masses that perpetrators of crime are
placed in prison for the sole purpose of
Furnishing them has been pretty thor
oughly exploded. The knowledge is
now common that the restraint is not
put upon prisoners for the sake of pun
ishment as a primary object, but rather
to protect society. Itgoes without say
ing, therefore, that the more thorough |
the reform effected in prisoners the
more thoroughly society is protected
and the object of Imprisonment at
tanned. With this idea many societies
in Europe have been imbued in the last
few years and in furtherance of it they
are devoting all of their energies to the
care of convicts after they have been
discharged from prison. The conten-
tion is that the most critical period in
the life of a convict is right after he
has been released from confinement.
In France, England and Switzerland,
particularly in Switzerland, societies of
this kind have become numerous with
in the last few years and their work
effective. AS part of the plan pris-
oners have placed to their credit por-
tion of their earnings while in prison,
and as rule these earnings are placed
in the care of the several societies and
doled out to the discharged prisoner as
it is thought he is fitted to take care of
them.
The most advanced of all European
countries in the care of discharged
convicts is Switzerland, which is only
about half the size of the state of Ohio.
This little country has fourteen socie-
ties organized for the purpose of car
ing for discharged convicts. The CEN
tral committee of each society has its
office in the chief city of each canton.
Several of the societies have commit
tee of women whose duty it is to care
for women prisoners. Probably no.
where in the world is so much done to-
ward bringing patrons into direct per-
sonal relation with liberated prisoners
as in Switzerland The prevailing idea
there is that no prisoner should ever
lack patron. So as soon as prisoner
is discharged there is always someone
standing ready to see to it that he or
she gets some form of honorable en-
ployment. These aid societies avoid
as much as possible indiscriminate aid.
If it is necessary to provide prisoner
with clothing and tools out of the funds
of the society this is done. The aim,
however, is usually to employ the
money he has earned while in prison
for this purpose. When the patron of
a prisoner has found place for him he
is expected to give him protection and
aid, to stimulate his zeal by handing
out to him from time to time whole
or part of his accumulations in prison
This is done under the supervision OF
the aid society of which the patron is a
member. The discharged prisoner is
subjected to a form of surveillance
but it differs from that form peculiar
to the police. Its duration is decided
by the central committee to which the
prisoners patron reports.
The time was when the only penalty
which the discharged prisoner incurree
7 for insubordination was the with
drawal of aid, but now such a prisoner
, or ex-prisoner is arraigned before tht
, proper authorities where some milo
: form of punishment is inflicted. Thi
power, however, is used with grea
discretion. The result of the humane
] treatment of men who have made mis-
: takes has been most gratifying not onl.
4 in the reduction of the number Of frs
D term prisoners but in the number o
j. recidivists. In one canton, that O
: Neuchatel, there has been a reduction
of fifty per cent. in the number o
prisoners. AS a direct result the re
cidivists in 1870 numbered seventy
t five per cent, in 1890 they had been re
n duced to four per cent, figures tina
= must be regarded, even in this countr
ii where prison reform has been Ion
urged, as startling. In 1890 of ~