The Plymouth tribune., 1902-03-20

the prisoner Will be advanced to the
first grade and the clothing will be of
the cadet blue.
In this grade the prisoner is permit
ted to write two letters per month and
receive two visits per month from his
friends. For the breaking of any rule
that has been adopted by the manage
ment, the prisoner may be reduced in
grade; if reduced to the third grade,
he will don the stripes, and while in
this clothing will not be permitted to
write letters nor receive visits from
his friends nor to read in his CELL
With the grading of the prisoner
from the time he enters the institu-
ton, the management begins to study
him, making careful investigation as
to his previous history while on the
outside, and finding. if possible. if he
has a criminal record. If he is Hitter
ate he is taken to the schoclroom four
evenings in the week and nine months
in the year. There he is taught to
read and write. He is permitted to at
tend Christian Endeavor meetings
each Sunday morning and regular
chapel service every Sunday forenoon: /:
he is also permitted to have in his
cell the best library books. papers
and magazines. With such methods
as these the authorities are enabled TO
study each prisoner, and at the end
of his minimum sentence are able to
judge as to the character and habits
of the prisoner when he appears be-
fore the parole board asking for pa
role.
When prisoner has served one or
two years in prison, as the case may
be, and has complied with the rules.
he is permitted to come before the
parole board. The board first exam
ines the statement made by the trial
judge and prosecuting attorney; and
then questions the prisoner as to his
past record. If they find that he has
served other sentences and that his
past life has been spent in crime, his
case will not be favorably considered
by the board and he will be ordered
to return TO his work, not knowing
just when he will again have another
chance to be heard by the board On
the other hand. if the board finds that
it is the prisoners first offense, and
that the judge and prosecutor who
tried him are favorable TO his parole.
and the records and all evidence at
hand go to show that the prisoner will
hn0On1n q MI oif hnr
will parole him. Employment must
then be found for the prisoner, usual
ly in the home of his own people if
they are responsible; if not, the man
agement will secure work for him in
a factory or on a farm, the person
giving the employment agreeing to
pay reasonable wages for one year
and to take a friendly interest in the
prisoners welfare. He is also 10 see
that the prisoner makes his reports to
the warden or superintendent on the
first of each month. for the previous
month, stating in this report the num-
Der OF days he has worked; if idle
for what reason; amount of money
earned and amount expended. and for
what: how many times he has been
to church during the month and
where; where his evenings have been
spent: and how often he has been in a
saloon during the month.
How the Law Has Worked.
This report must be signed by the
paroled prisoner and approved by his
employer If this monthly report is
not received by the warden or super
intendent promptly, investigation is
at once started to find why the report
has not been received. If, after in
vestigation, it is found that the pris-
oner has violated his parole, he is at
once returned TO prison without trial
and without cost 10 the county to
which he has been paroled, and COM
PEELED to serve out his maximum SEN
tence.
During the operation of this law at
the Indiana state prison from April /,
1897, 10 October 81, 1901, there have
been 426 prisoners paroled, of which
number five have been revoked, IA are
waiting employment; 154 have been
finally discharged; the maximum SEN
tence of SO has expired, there have
been nine prisoners returned and dis
charged; there have been 16 returned
and still in the institution; there ysere
three parcled a second time; 2J who
are delinquent; seven have died. one
insane, and 152 still reporting.
This showing, as compared with
other institutions, is remarkable, be-
ing a fraction over 10 per cent of the
prisoners paroled that have violated
the confidence placed in them by the
management. The men who are out
on parole are earning all the way
from So to $40 per month and their
board, and in many cases are caring
for their families, that would Other
wise be public charge upon the
township where they live had the pris
oner been kept in confinement.
The wise administration of Cover.
nor Durbin following in the footsteps
of his predecessor, with a non-partisan
management of the institutions of this
state as they are today being con-
Quoted, brings them to high plane.
In fact, there is no state in the Union
where the institutions are more eco
nomically managed and managed with
less scandal than they are at the pres
ent time in Indiana The value and
success of the new ideas that have
been inaugurated in our prison maI-