Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-02-07
REFORM OF GONVCTS
Plan of the American Home Finding
Society Endorsed By Board
of Control.
Some Interesting Facts Presented to
the Committees on Penitentiar-
les and Pardons.
What Becomes of Discharged Pris-
oners-Ames Colleges Showing
Legislative Comment.
to Times Republican

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Feb. What becomes
llof the discharged convict" was the
isubjeet discussed before a joint meet
ling Of the committees on penitentiaries
| and pardons by Rcv. j. q. George of
Cedar Falls. state superintendent of the !
prison department. Of the American
Home Finding Society. Mr. George has
been engaged in finding homes and enl-
i ployment for girls discharged from the
industrial school at Mitchellvnle and
convicts from Anamosa penitent.ary.
He has been quite successful in his
work, but il has necessarily been limit
/ &c 10 scope on account Of lack of funds
with which 70 carry t on. TiIe society
4 he represents i u national oreanization
hat has 10 means Of support except
iprivate contributions. His work is fully
i indorsed by the state board Of control.
A which regards It as highly inaportant
tand beneiicial from an economic Toint of
I View. as well as from the humanitarian
Standpoint.
i Mr.. George presented some interesting
facts TO the legislative committees. He
showed that in Switzerland when no
81 attempt Was made to give discharged
convicts any encouragement or assist
lance. the number of convicts returned
4 IN prison was - per cent. Twenty years
Halter after an organized effort had been
made 10 giye discharged eonvcts a
|ehance To reform by providing them
employment, the percentage of c8nvicts
/. returned 10 prison was only per cent.
Il In Austria the reduction of returned
: SIconyicts in this manner Was 80 per cent.
I'm the United States Very little SYSTEM
attic work Of this kind has been done.
Minnesota is the only state Win h has
taken it up and made an effort TO put
discharged convicts on their feet. IN
that state an agent IS employed 10 look
latter the interests Of ,.turn outs and
see that they are not left subject only TO
. bad influences but are given a chance
10 become honest and self-supportin2
!, men. AT the Sing Sing prison in New
!. York, whore the hardened criminals arr
confined - per cent return sscc;lt
& time. or @ftener. a the F.lmira reform
s atory. where the younger and less d.
graded Offenders are sent, only II pc
cent return. tits this class Of convict:
that the reform movement Represented
lsbN MY Ices, ist-5 DIe@Ss 10 Tcsttll.
IT would not b. fair to yeu. sait
Mr. George. addressing a member Of tii'
committee who had asked him 4 ques-
I ton, 10 pat into your home or enploN
a man | isnow 10 he crook This or
2 ganization can do nothing for that class
: of criminals Burglars and professional
: thieves can make more the first nigh
: they are out of prison than ! can fint
\ .,r,
g irving to do is TO reach that class o.
men who have some hope for the futur'
land who desire TO lead honorable lives
\ great many Of these would do 50 i
= they had Al chance-if some one wa.
ready to give them q little assistance il
getting cnployment when they step ou
g of prison. The trouble is, they ar
/ branded from that time and NJ
matter how well qualified they may he
+ they tind it almost Impossible 10 Sc
employment Al the doors of Vice ar
n open, all other doors are closed. Man
OF them are forced into crime who ha'
(. determined never again to commit al
offense against the Law. They have th
Ia choice of-starving stealing or Begging
and we want TO add 70 this a chance o
+ work Warden Hunter and peput
Warden Gurley told ms that 60 per cen
j of the convicts at .Anamosd would no
return TO the penitentiary if they wer
!, given Il chance 10 secure employment
when they got out. our Work is to com
plete the reformaiory work begun b
the state and We think it as much
part OF the state work sts any Other an
). that the state should become intereste
~ in it, All we ask is that YOU shall IL
vestisate ii with the board af oontr,
and leave the matter with the boar
= We have no means to work With and al
compelled 10 beg our way in Wat "
do.
The board Of control has endorsed II
l. proposition made by Mr.. George ar
would have recommended II in its J,
e port had the subject been presented
Of time Mr. George ard his associate
a ask no money from the state. II mer
sh asks that the board Of control be al
lie thorized To appoint an agent to cars
as ON the work and pay his expenses al
he salary. leaving ii entirely with Il
a board as to who shall be appointed al
n how his work shall be directed. In q
as' state of Minnesota. of the 400 parol'
as since the plan has been adopted, on
9 per cent have returned to crime Mer
bers of the committees We're very fave
ably Impressed with the proposition al
!, regarded il as having strength from
~. standpoint of economy, because il on
a very small percentage of convicts a
~ saved from returning to crime it is
"a good investment and Will save the ste
,n ard counties large sums of money.
m President Beardshear and Profess
~ Curtiss, of the State Agricultural G
~, lege. in their showing before The appi
w., priations committees yesterday added
-, the evidence that has been presented
this legislature by others, showing h
Well the educational institutions of
state have improved their opportuniti
The showing made was TO the effect Il
He with limited appropriations. smaller
culties and less facilities, the Iowa
len stitutions have kept up with the p
i'd cession much better than could be
ay. pected. and they haze taught srea
Dor number of students per instructor II
be the institutions of any other state
to comparison in this particular is as
k.r- =. $50,