The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-01-17

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poses, for which an offer OF $4,000 has been
made. The executive residence should be
built under the direction of the board OF
owned by the state or otherwise, as the
legislature may direct. The subject matter
covered by these recommendations is en-
cause il will hardly be pos ibie to complete
pired.
Penal Laws from the viewpoint of
Reformation of the one nder.
No more important subject will come be:
changes in the penal laws having In view
the reformation OF the offender. Asprotec-
tion Of the public Is paramount to the pun
OF reformation superior to that OF punish
ment and I'm imprisUning criminals the
state should prevent as far as possible the
contamination OF one by another criminal
OF a more hardened class. d.
The Michigan reformatory at Ionla ought
to be a place OF detention for all first Of
and this result can be secured by substitute
ing "shalP' for may" In the law. As at
present constituted. the penal institutions
stand 50 practically upon the same n basis and nd
secure this result provision should be made
for the sentencing and confine ment or first
offenders. as recommended, In an institu-
tion where they will not come In contace
with confirmed and vicious criminals and
where reformatory methods can be APP
Piled. In the same connection ! suggest
lowering the minimum age for Offenders
liable to be sentenced to the Ionia insttu-
ton. Under the present law. judges are
sometimes compelled to sentence to the De-
troit House OF Correction where the pris-
oner should more property be sent to
reformatory. and to send boys in such In
stances TO the Industrial School for Boys
would create an evil similar to that from
which the Industrial Home for Girls is suf-
fering.
The average first offender is one having
very few, II any criminal associations.
Unless the offense with the commission of
which he stands charged is serious one
better results are obtained through re-
leasing him on probation, At the very best,
imprisonment Is a mark which can never
be effaced, and to a greater or less degree
Is a handicap; And further, II EXTENDS to
children, to them in particular. Not only
Is he. but his family, deprived OF the fruits
Of his labor, and the state burdened with
probation law which requires that the JUS
tees of each municipal police and district
court shall appoint probation officer, who
inquiries into the nature of every criminal
case brought before the court whose officer
he Is, and upon his recommendation the
court may place the person SO convicted In
lime ea and o. under preR eonditions as S mey
seem proper. In effect this is the Michigan
parole system applied before instead of af-
ter Imprisonment.
The number taken on probation in Mas
sachusetts in 1892. the first full year after
the passage of the law, was 5197. In 1897
the probation cases in the lower courts
numbered 4S4 in each thousand prosecu-
lions during the year. while In 1901 1t was
72 in a thousand. The expenditures for
salaries and expenses OF probation officers
is estimated that the lowest possible saw
Ing to the taxpayers upon the bare cost
Of support of the practitioners. had they
han tvvan vyap nd ha
earning capacity of the probationer should
also be taken into account. A system Of
probation went into effect in New York
enacted by the legislature of that year.
The annual report Of the board Of city
magistrates says that after three months
obtained, imprisonment has been averted
the expense OF penal institutions has been
reduced. and good order In the community
For the fiscal year ending June 30 last
the report of the attorney general of
Michigan shows a total of 1886 convlc-
lions If only 5000. or about one-fourth. OF
the convictions were those Of first Of
tenders, and the proportion was over rathe
than under this number. point Is reache
whereby the argument favoring probation
can be brought home. Assuming that the
average sentence was sixty days. and that
1t cost the taxpayers thirty cents day
approximately ss0.O0O On the further
assumption that each priso was capa-
BILE Of earning at least five collars week.
e ae hen IN The T@
baton, however. should not rest alone
upon a money basis. the better enforcement
Of law and order and the welfare OF society
being far greaxer considerations.
Should the probation system be adopted
in this state. in ORDER to prevent the crea-
tion of large number Of official positions,
] suggest II NAV be wise to place the proba-
TONERS under the supe rvision of the county
agents. Of the state board OF corrections and
charities whose COMPENSATION should be
on a sliding scale. according to population.
IndeterminRte Sentences.
The last legislature In its wisdom saw
fit to make provision for the submiss sion
OF an amendment to the constitution per-
hitting inCeterminate sentences. This
amendment was adopted by a vote so large
as to indicate unqualified approval, and
legislative action is now necessary 10 give
mend that the act Apply in all offenses
other than those In which life sentences are
imposed; in general, provision being made
that the court shall not fix definite term,
Tense In question; that the benefits, OF this
law shall apply to all sentenced through
oversight OF. otherwise to definite term
other than life: that precise statement be
made as 10 the authority OF trial judges
prior TO the time the proposed law becomes
operative; also; that convicts sentenced
to other than life Imprisonment may be
eligible to parole as soon as they shall have
completed serving the minimum term i'm
posed by the trial court, tnls eligibility De-
Ing determined under rules established by
executive authority.
Legislation Is advisable declaring 1t to
be an escape when a parolec prisoner al
lowed to leave the state under written
agree ment to return when requested TO co
so by the governor defaults In his promise.
Prison for Women ConvItc~.
/ renew my recomme ndatlon of two
years ago that the state provide prison
for women convlcts. Ii Is not proper or
necessary that the state should keep such
prisoners in a private institution. There Is
need of a prison or Eeformatory for the
care of the incorrigibles whose presence
In the Industrial Home for Girls exerts an
Injurious influence upon others not so far
advanced in the ways OF wickedness. The
gradual transfer of the state asylum at
Ionia to the west side of Grand river Is
leaving available n building which can be
utilized as q place of detention for women,
and in conjunction with the Michigan re-
formatory could be maintained at a rea-
sonabe expense. II Is possible to secure
entire separation of male and female
prisoners at this place and at the same
time not create a separate institution.
This recommendation IL carried into effect
will provide needed relief for the Industrial
Home for Girls.
Crippled Dependent Children.
Under present laws the benefits of the
state public school at Coldwater are linn
tied to children sound In mind and body.
between the ages of two and IL years, ex-
cept that uncer certain conditions those UNI
der two years can be admitted. While
Quar- A 0O0 children have ma gsQd from COun-